Columbiana County residents increase amount they recycle by 37%

By D.a. Wilkinson

SALEM — Want to help the environment and save money?

Recycle.

Columbiana County residents increased their recycling by almost 37 percent in 2008, said Chris Jacobs, director of the Carroll-Columbiana-Harrison Joint Solid Waste Management District.

The district last year collected a total 1,809 tons of material from county residents compared with 1,321 tons in 2007.

That increase of 488 tons doesn’t tell the whole collection story, however.

The district also provides information to the public on companies that take specific wastes, such as scrap metal, used oil and car batteries.

Jacobs said the increase in recycling didn’t just happen.

There was a big promotional campaign last year, and containers at recycling centers are easier to use. Those factors help contribute to the district’s taking in more recyclable materials, he said.

Jacobs recently told Salem City Council he’s going to make the recycling center by the fire department more user-friendly by alternating containers for paper and for plastic items.

That will prevent recyclers from having to go to one area of the site to unload paper and then go to another part of the center to drop off plastic.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.