continue despite setback

By BETH LAKEY

Staff Writer

Troy residents who participate in the curbside recycling program should not stop their efforts.

That’s the message being sent out by Bill Rice, coordinator of the recycling program, as he tries to rebuild what was destroyed by fire Wednesday afternoon.

"Everybody needs to continue to recycle," Rice said. "We’ll continue to operate like we have been."

Although the efforts to recycle will continue, it won’t be exactly the same.

Rice said there will be some inconveniences, such as having blue bags available.

The fire which was reported at 2:52 p.m. ­ minutes after employees left at 2:30 p.m. ­ burned the bags stored in the metal Troy Recycling Center building, along with balers, other equipment and some items ready to be recycled. More bags have been ordered, but will not arrive for another month, so the only bags available are those already at Troy City Hall.

"I don’t want to break the recycling habit," Rice said.

Troy’s recycling program began in1991 and many residents participate in it.

"Just continue to keep the habit going," he offered as advice to residents.

Rice said there will be no drop-off point for now, since the only storage for materials will be at the city barn.

"This is going to be tough for some people because we won’t be able to offer the service we have in the past," RIce said.

Troy State University has its own recycling program on campus and has offered the city usage of its baler.

"I didn’t know I had so many friends," Rice said of those agencies and individuals offering to help.

As the building burned, Wiley Sanders Truck Lines, Inc. sent cabs to help remove two trucks loaded with materials.

"We saved two loads," Rice said of those trucks pulled away from the burning building.

Rice also expressed appreciation to all the firefighters who responded. He said every fire department in the county was represented as his work went up in the blaze.

Employees of the city’s Public Works Department also dropped what they were doing in order to fix up some trucks to the specifications the recycling program needs.

With everyone’s cooperation, Rice said he hopes to have the recycling program "under control" by the end of the week.