Recycling Begins January 1, 2010

Probably most people have begun getting the word that curbside recycling will begin on January 1, 2010, in Helena. The City of Helena has signed a contract with Recycle Bank to handle those duties, and I understand that the recycling bins previously located at the Helena Sports Complex have been removed. Unfortunately, too many people abused that privilege by dumping garbage there or leaving material outside the bins. If you want to sign up for the program, and there are two plans, you can call Allied Waste at 923-1650 or send an email to custservbham@republicservices.com to get signed up. The two plans require quarterly payments of $20.37 for no rewards or $23.37 for rewards. The rewards program is affiliated with Recycle Bank (www.recyclebank.com). I do not have the details on the rewards, but it is my understanding that your recycled materials will be weighed and you will receive points based on the weight of your recycled materials that can be redeemed for prizes or gift cards. The RecycleBank Rewards Program will begin February 1, 2010. When I signed up for the program, the person I spoke with said that collection would occur every other week on Wednesdays. I did not ask how big the bin will be, but I hope it arrives soon because my garage is filling up with recycled stuff. I'm constantly amazed at how much stuff I recycle just from my mailbox. I am very excited about the start to this recycling program. Helena is the first city in Alabama to adopt this. I hope everyone in Helena and Woodvale will seriously consider signing up for the program. I just hate to see landfills getting filled up and this is one way we can all help our community, our state, our country, and our planet. It's just the right thing to do! -Brian-