Recycling Options Do Exist

The City of Monticello recently voted to eliminate the single-stream recycling bin located on Funderburg Drive.

Jasper County does have recycling facilities at the landfill, which is open Thursday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Items that may be recycled include blue and green glass, clear glass, brown glass, one and two plastics (such as milk jugs, water bottles, and shampoo bottles), paper, cardboard and metal. All of these items must be sorted prior to putting them in the designated bins across from the Landfill and Recycling Center office. The facility is located behind the recreation fields off Hwy. 212 West.

Aluminum cans may be dropped off at the fire department, as they recycle cans to raise money.

Ingles offers paper and plastic recycling for its customers, and the bins are located just inside the right front doors. Ingles also accepts plastic bags. According to the store manager, Scott Fowler, Ingles recycles all of its internal paper, cardboard and plastic. Every Monday, a truck picks up their recycling, and the local store earn $100 a bale. Trash that goes into their compactor, on the other hand, costs the store money.

Ingles also provides boxes to customers, which may be used for packing groceries.

According to a 2018 issues of National Geographic, only nine percent of plastic ever made has been recycled. Citing University of Georgia researcher Jenna Jambick, the article notes that approximately 18 billion pounds of plastic flow into the world’s oceans every year, which is equivalent to five grocery bags full of plastic trash sitting on every foot of coastline in the world.

According to University of California researcher Roland Geyer, the United States recycles just nine percent of its plastic trash.