TOWN OF CARY TO SWITCH TO 65 GALLON ROLLOUT RECYCLING CARTS, RECYCLING COLLECTION MOVES TO EVERY OTHER WEEK

Carts hold three times more than bins, including new materials

CARY, NC – As part of the Town of Cary’s ongoing commitment to preserving and protecting natural resources, Cary citizens will begin receiving 65 gallon rollout recycling carts – three times larger than the old bins – beginning Tuesday, April 14 through May 2009; the switch to rollout carts enables customers to recycle a larger capacity and new types of recyclables including chipboard (such as cereal boxes and paper towel rolls), telephone books,  mixed paper, and junk mail (including window envelopes and post cards).  Recycling will be collected on the same day as garbage and yard waste, but every other week at curbside.  Garbage and yard waste will continue to be collected every week according to existing schedules.

Once received, customers should immediately begin using the new carts because once a cart has been delivered the Town will no longer collect recyclables from the 18-gallon bin.  All recyclables must fit inside the new cart, and residents can request a larger or second cart if their recyclables consistently exceed the new cart’s capacity.  Customers living in a multi-family complex with three or more units, they may choose to receive a new cart or continue using the existing 18-gallon bin.  The Town will continue to provide special collection for physically-challenged customers needing assistance.

“In Cary , we have a culture of conservation and take pride in the environmental health of our community,” said Director of Public Works Mike Bajorek.  “ Cary ’s award-winning recycling program is just one example of how the Town of Cary leads the state in preserving and protecting our natural resources, and we thank Cary citizens for their continued support of the Cary Recycles program.”

As for the old bins, customers can keep them for other uses or recycle them by placing the bin in the new recycling cart.  Old bins can also be recycled by taking them to the Citizens Convenience Center on Dixon Avenue . 

The switch to rollout carts comes on the heels of the Cary Town Council decision on May 8, 2008 , to expand the current recycling program, including the purchase of eight automated recycling trucks.  Just like the garbage carts, the recycling carts will be serviced by special “automated” trucks requiring only an operator.  To cover the cost of the changes, the Council appropriated $3.7 million from the FY 2008 General Fund balance to the General Government capital project.

Curbside collection is just one component of the Cary Recycles program.  In 2005, the Town began picking up a large variety of materials at curbside weekly and was the first municipality in the state to collect computers at the curb. The Town has also partnered with Waste Management, Inc. to provide the recycling of empty inkjet cartridges, old cell phones and cell phone batteries. Citizens can mail in these items for recycling by picking up a postage-paid plastic bag from the Public Works and Utilities Department.  Also, the Town holds year-round workshops and special events, including the Earth Day celebration each April, to demonstrate the benefits of recycling.  In addition, the Town offers a rechargeable battery recycling program.

For more, visit Town of Cary Recycling at www.townofcary.org or call the Public Works & Utilities Department at (919) 469-4090.

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