People using the new recycling center in Laurel County say it's easy and convenient.

“It's just one of them things if I don't have to pay for the garbage truck when I can bring it here on the trip to town,” says Bennie Smith of London.

The city of London opened the new regional recycling center Monday and the city's public works director says it's a big improvement from the county's old center.

“It can only help them, with the roadside litter and with the way they had to process it, it was labor intensive,” says Steve Ridge, Public Works director for the City of London.

Edge says in the first year alone, he expects the facility to process about 3,600 tons of material that would normally be going to a landfill and that will save the city about $75,000.

“Right now, our average is 150 tons a day, of garbage, everyday,” says Robby Blair, supervisor of the Recycling and Sanitation Department.

He says everyone should make an effort to recycle.

“What happens, 10 years from now?” he says. “You know, there's not going to be many landfills left.”

He says they have designed the center to be more user-friendly. The old one had dispensers that were much higher off the ground.

“Well, if you've got a bag of papers, they're heavy. They get heavy. And it's harder for older people especially, or short people to reach up and put those in there,” says Zelma Rice.

She says hopefully the convenience will encourage others to make a difference in their community.

“We should take care of Mother Earth,” adds Rice.

Blair says curbside recycling service could be provided within the next two years.