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MONROE One hundred bright blue recycle bins will be placed in 12 Union County public schools in the coming weeks, and everything they collect will help build new houses in Union County.
The bins are part of a pilot program headed by Union County Habitat for Humanity, which operates a recycling center on Old Charlotte Highway. There, recyclables are sorted, baled and sold."This is a wonderful opportunity to work together," said Mike Reece, director of Union County Habitat for Humanity.The school recyclables will contribute to Reece's goal of collecting and selling enough paper, plastic, aluminum and cardboard every year to make $100,000, enough to build two Habitat houses.The program came about after a serendipitous conversation between Robert Allen, a former Habitat employee and founder of the Indian Trail Business Association, and Reece. Reece told Allen he needed more recycling bins, maybe about 50."I said, 'Hang on, I know a guy,' " Allen said. He called officials at Waste Pro, the company that recently replaced Action Garbage as the town of Indian Trail's waste pickup service and a member of ITBA.Waste Pro wants to make inroads in the Charlotte area, and Regional Vice President Bob TenHaaf said the company is always looking for ways to reduce waste taken to the landfill."In order to make a recycling program successful, you've got to take it to the kids," TenHaaf said. "This was the perfect program for us."When Allen asked if WastePro could donate 100 recycling bins, the company immediately agreed. The 96-gallon bins are worth about $4,500, TenHaaf said.If the program extends to all 53 of Union County's public schools, the Habitat recycling center could be busy. Sarah Stafford, UCPS operations coordinator, said students are getting more and more involved in recycling. At many schools, science departments or school clubs are leading recycling efforts.Now, the school system pays for trash and recycling pickup. The Habitat program would reduce that cost because Habitat would collect recycling from the schools.More recycling also will mean more opportunities for students to volunteer at the Habitat center sorting items for baling.The center depends on volunteers to keep costs low, and students can earn community service hours working there. Andy Rogers, Habitat for Humanity of Union County's recycling coordinator, said the work also can be therapeutic."It's amazing if you get a group doing one task how a stinky job can be fun," he said.For more information about Union County Habitat for Humanity, visit www.unionhabitat.org.
