Every plastic drink bottle, can or other item recycled at one of Lexington’s city parks is one fewer that will up in a landfill and have a negative impact on our environment.

In an effort to collect more recyclables, the city’s Division of Parks & Recreation and the Division of Waste Management are expanding and streamlining how they collect, store and pick up recyclables in city parks.

The program, funded by a $50,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant, places attractive green and tan recycling containers in heavily used areas of certain city parks. The 59 new dual-stream containers – one side is for trash, the other for recyclables -- make it easier for those visiting the parks to recycle, resulting in more recyclable material being collected. The grant is being administered by the city’s Division of Environmental Policy.

Parks employees will empty the new containers, putting the recycled items into newly purchased recycling Dumpsters, which were also purchased with grant money. The Dumpsters are later emptied by front-loader Waste Management trucks and are taken to the city’s recycling center.

“The purpose is to offer recycling service to parks visitors so they can recycle like they do at home,” says Bill Clarke, a member of the Parks maintenance team. “This is a part of the community-wide effort to educate the public about environmental concerns. Since young people are a big part of Park’s clientele, it is important to build upon the environmental lessons they are taught in school by giving them an opportunity to recycle when they visit parks.”

Parks has had a recycling program for several years, using temporary and permanent equipment. This initiative enhances that program. This is the first time Parks has used Dumpsters for the recycling program. “Until now, Parks used Rosie recycling carts and they were emptied with residential trucks,” Clarke says. “Dumpsters are a big improvement. The increased capacity makes collection more efficient for both Parks and Waste Management.”

“We have seen a tremendous increase in the use of the clear dual-stream recycling containers in parks and at special events during the past two years,” says Parks & Recreation Director Jerry Hancock. “We have also seen a reduction in the amount of trash left on the ground in parks. Every segment of Lexington is participating in recycling more, and our parks look better as a result.”

“Citizen’s who participate in recycling help lower our cost to landfill Lexington’s waste, while supporting jobs for Kentuckians who use our recyclables as raw materials to create new products,” says Susan Bush, director Division of Environmental Policy.

Since spring, 10 new recycling Dumpsters have been added to the parks system. Recycling Dumpsters have been placed in Cardinal Run, Castlewood, Douglass, Jacobson, Masterson, Shillito, Valley, Veterans, and Woodland parks and at Park’s North Base maintenance center. You can recognize a recycling dumpster by its blue color.

Installation of the new dual-stream recycling containers began July 15. Containers will be placed in Addison, Athens, Castlewood, Cheapside, Coldstream, Douglass, Ecton, Harrods Hills, Hill N Dale, Jacobson, Kenawood, Kenwick, Kirklevington, Landsdowne-Merrick, Pleasant Ridge, Gay Brewer Golf Course, Shillito, Waverly, Woodland, and Wellington, parks. Ten containers are being held in reserve and will be deployed later.

The containers have been placed at tennis courts, volleyball courts, trail heads, baseball fields and shelters. Containers were placed in locations that are likely to generate both trash and recyclable materials. Clarke says the effectiveness of the program will be reviewed periodically and some containers may be relocated if it is determined there are other locations that might benefit more from having the containers.