By Staff
Recycle Now committee encouraged by progress
Atmore Recycle Now is a volunteer task force working in cooperation with the City of Atmore to begin a recycling program. Following is a report I sent to the mayor's Office this week, following Williams Station Day:
Our recycling information booth gave us a huge feeling of success in our effort to raise awareness of the new recycling depot here in Atmore. Public response was, as expected, enthusiastic. We had prepared hundreds of packets of informational items to hand out, and those disappeared before lunchtime. Then we had little to offer other than the sound of our own voices.
Several individuals approached us on very specific topics, including the lock-up schedule of the depot trailers, the method of collection, the wholesale recycle business in general, as well as the prospect of curbside pickup ever happening in Atmore.
Regarding the lock-up schedule of the depot trailers-because citizens have found the trailers inconveniently locked, we have decided to leave the trailers unlocked 24/7, unless it becomes obvious that this is a bad idea.
Regarding the method of collection being drop-off, where the citizen must go into the trailer to deposit the items, people who have made an attempt to use our system have found it unwieldy and challenging. Among those who said they have not yet tried our depot- some feel daunted at the thought of it, though these seemed mostly to be the handicapped, the elderly and the obese. Most people were happy to hear that we do have a drop-off site open and at a central location. More than one educator talked to us about working with the School Board to bring recycling into the schools.
Regarding the recycle business in general, an assortment of motivated men and women expressed interest in getting into the lucrative business of selling the city's recyclables.
One point we tried to get across to all was that, once the demand for recycling becomes apparent, once City Hall sees the recycle depot overflowing with plastics, cardboard and aluminum, we will have hope of seeing curbside recycling in Atmore.
Now that Williams Station Day and our first public attempt at raising awareness has been accomplished, Atmore Recycle Now volunteers will begin approaching the broad spectrum of interest groups in our area seeking invitations to come to their venues to assist them in their efforts to be part of the picture-a 100 percent recycling town. Furthermore, we foresee a countywide recycling coalition in the near future.
Our next meeting will be Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Atmore Public Library.
Please know that all are invited to attend.
Letty Digmon
Spokesperson
P.S. We owe a great debt of thanks to Mr. William Grissett of Escambia Lawn &Tractor Company because he has donated the depot trailers for the first three months. Also thanks to Bondurant Lumber Co. for donating trash cans for recyclables on Williams Station Day. Thank you very much. Thank you to all those who are encouraging us in this work.