Mayor Reeves welcomes a new day in recycling

Thursday was America Recycles Day. It was also Alabama Recycles Day, proclaimed by Gov. Robert Bentley and Troy Recycles Day, proclaimed by new Mayor Jason Reeves.

“There is an environmental impact, but it’s not just about the environment,” Reeves said at a news conference outside Troy City Hall Thursday. “Recycling has a huge impact on the local economy.”

Reeves explained that on top of jobs at local operations KW Plastics and Spurlock Iron and Metal Company, recycling provides revenue to the area.

“You can either pay to get waste buried, or get paid to recycle,” Reeves said. “Those companies produce jobs and those dollars turn over and over in our community.”

Reeves not only proclaimed the day Troy Recycles Day, he also signed an executive order he hopes moves Troy toward being a sustainable community.

The order calls for establishing at Task Force for a Sustainable Troy that will recommend goals that will enable Troy to become a leader in environmental quality and livability. Also, as part of the order, Reeves directed every city department to have onsite recycling bins by Jan. 1 and recycling bins at city sponsored event.

Troy has had a recycling program since 1991, but some residents think this new push is exactly what the community needs to move the program toward success.

“This is a new day, as far as recycling goes,” said Troy resident Bert Fridlin, who was at the news conference. “I think this will really increase the program.”

As part of the move toward a sustainable community, blue recycle bags along with information about Troy’s recycling program will be placed on every blue garbage can at residences in the city.

“6.3 lbs. of trash per person, per day is thrown away in Alabama,” Reeves said, noting that there are more than 4 million people in the state. “We have to deal with solid waste. We need to recycle. We don’t need to bury it in the ground.”

For more information on the city’s recycling program, call 566-1133, or email publicworks@troyal.info.