Recycling . . .

. . . is a process to change what some would call trash, into new products. In the process we reduce the use of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from burning) and water pollution from seepage at landfills.

The city of Munday has a recycling center, located in the 100 block of "B" St. Turn north at the Lion’s Club "Welcome Sign" East of Dollar General. The Center is behind the two trailer houses. Bunny Norville and Exa Lee Smith are the volunteer attendants there. The Center is open 8:30-4:30 M-F and 10:30 - 2:00 on Saturdays. It is closed holidays.

A special thanks to people from Munday, Goree, and Knox City who are already recycling with us. Also, to the merchants of Munday and the Munday schools for their help and cooperation.

I need to share a few things we cannot accept.

I know you love your kitty, but please do not include its litter material in your recyclables. Or your cigarette butts, coffee grounds, tea bags, used paper (or plastic) plates with food still attached. This sort of stuff can mess up other things, like paper and cardboard, which need to be clean.

Now a word about what you need to do before you bring stuff to the Center. Don’t bring us your garbage. To keeps recyclables clean, do not throw them into the trash to begin with. When one throw away wet, greasy food it ruins any paper products in the trash bin. Sort out all you intend to bring us: paper products, plastic products, metal products into separate containers, box or bag. We have good boxes available for you to use to sort your stuff into. Just ask for them.

We cannot afford to send trashy products to our vender, American Fibre in Lubbock. When they get our load, if they see trash or greasy items, they dump the whole container and we get no money. To avoid this, we inspect every item brought to us. Sometimes we need to rinse out a cat food can, or milk jug. Because food spoils and attracts critters, milk left in the jugs sours and turns into mold which grows. No one wants to handle moldy stuff, or fight off the bees that are attracted to drink cans or plastic bottles.

We cannot accept aerosol cans or glass bottles or jars.

We hope we can continue to publish a weekly column about recycling. If you have questions, please call me, Bunny, at either 421-3334 or 203-0221. Please don’t call before 9:00 a.m. My email address is: youwoodtwo@yahoo.com. Any question is a good question, there are no dumb questions.

In the next column I will begin describing what we can accept.

If you do not recycle yet, but you want to start, I suggest you begin slowly, maybe one thing at a time. Take your time, don’t allow it to stress you.