Enhanced BG recycling program continues to exceed expectations

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Bowling Green Recycling Center open house. 5/30/09 (Photo: J.D.
Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

Bowling Green residents are placing curbside seven to 12 tons of material four days a week for the
Bowling Green Recycling Center.
Those who toured the facility at 1040 N. College Drive Saturday saw the last of 9,000 pounds collected
Friday waiting to be processed Monday.
Gary Adler, a member of the all-volunteer Bowling Green Recycling Center’s Management Committee, said the
enhanced curbside recycling program the city implemented in January continues to exceed expectations.

The operation is a collaborative effort between the center, the city and the Wood County Solid Waste
District and citizens.
In addition to the city’s purchase of new recycling containers and vehicles to automatically pick up
those containers, the district, with the help of state grants, constructed a new building and purchased
and installed equipment to handle and separate the various materials.
Adler has been involved in recycling since 1978 when the Bowling Green Jaycees began sponsoring a
drop-off program two Saturdays a month. The program accepted newspapers, glass and aluminum cans. In the
early years cash was paid for aluminum cans.
The mechanical equipment used for separating materials was manufactured by Recycling Equipment
Manufacturing Inc. in Washington state, and was customized to fit the building.
Adler said the biggest problems with the equipment are caused by glass and shredded paper.
Glass was a "banned" material from the start of the new system. Shredded paper clogs the
system. Both can be taken directly to the adjacent recycling center, which is open 24 hours a day.
It’s also recommended that caps be left off plastic bottles. The caps should be thrown in the trash.
The center also operates 16 satellite locations around the county. The locations, dates and times can be
found at www.bgrecycling.com.
Educational and tour information is available from the Wood County Solid Waste District at www.wcswmd.org
or (419) 354-9297.

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