Recycling programs in Lawrence and Scioto Counties have been more successful than anticipated and can now look towards the future after receiving $113,200 from the Recycle, Ohio! Grant.

"Without this funding none of these programs would exist," said Chuck Yaniko, district coordinator for the Lawrence-Scioto County Solid Waste Management District "The recycling programs are going very well. We did not expect this much success this quickly, and hopefully it will continue to grow."

Although received each year, the funds are normally distributed separately. However, this year the grant has been combined and will be administered by the Solid Waste Management District. The funds will be divided evenly between the two counties with each receiving $56,600 sometime after the first of the year, he said.

"Our country conserves precious natural resources, saves energy and protects our environment through local recycling efforts," said Commissioner Opal Spears, chairperson of the LSCSWMD. "Recycle, Ohio! Grant funding allows communities to effectively target their solid waste reduction, recycling and litter prevention programming needs."

This grant funds local projects that include the recycling trailers, litter reduction programs that allow jail inmates to cleanup along county roads, the curbside recycling program in Portsmouth and educational programs presented to Boy Scouts, 4-H clubs, civic groups and more.

"Education awareness is the program that will really make the difference 5 or 10 years from now," Yaniko said. "Young people are a lot more aware of the issues the state is facing such as land filling, loss of space and recycling."

Recycling has become a big business in Ohio, employing more than 100,000 people and generating $650 million in revenue each year. Since the recycling trailers were purchased in July, more than 28 tons of waste has been processed, Yaniko said.

Yaniko said that he has received a lot of positive feedback about the drop-off trailers and that the department would like to add more in the future if the funding is available.

Newspapers, plastic bottles and aluminum cans are all accepted materials. Glass bottles are no longer accepted. The recycling trailers are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One trailer is permanently located at the Chesapeake Municipal Courthouse.

Another trailer rotates between four sites in Lawrence County each month. It is placed at Forth's Foodfair in Proctorville during the first week of the month, Lowe's in Burlington the second week, Coal Grove Village Hall on the third week and Tipton's Foodland in Ironton on the fourth week of each month.