By By MaryClaire Foster
The City of Atmore will soon be getting green for going green thanks to a new recycling deal worked out with Sunburst Paper of Mobile.
Local recycling advocacy group, Atmore Recycle Now, along with Mayor Howard Shell and Tommy Cicco with Sunburst met Thursday to discuss the details of the company handling solid waste recycling for the city. The meeting resulted in a one year contract being agreed upon by the city and Sunburst.
Atmore Recycle Now spokesperson Letty Digmon said the workshop meeting was a result of the group presenting a report to the city council on possible businesses to handle the recycling.
Recycling for the city is currently handled by Titan Waste out of Pace, Fla. and generates no revenue for the city. According to Digmon, the cost for the new contract will be approximately the same amount that is being paid for Titan to make pickups.
Shell said he welcomes the opportunity both in terms of how it will affect the local environment and the money it could bring in.
Digmon said the new setup with Sunburst is currently in a 90-day initiation period.
The new recycling contract will call for several changes to the Recycle Depot, mainly the removal of the two Mobile Attics and newspaper bins and replacing them with three green recycle dumpsters and also the elimination of accepting aluminum to be recycled.
Digmon said another future goal is city-wide curbside recycling.
Digmon said the new setup is expected to be in place in the next few weeks and Atmore Recycle Now will keep the public updated through their Web site, www.atmorerecyclenow.org and through the local media.