Rutherford County, TN—(January 11, 2022) The Rutherford County Historic Courthouse now has two recycling receptacles available, one at each main entrance, for county employees, patrons, and downtown visitors to use to in an effort to reduce waste in the community.

“We are excited for the addition of these new bins,” said Mayor Bill Ketron, who says there are plans to add them to other county buildings in the near future.

“We want 2022 to be the year that our citizens commit to making small changes that can have a huge impact within the entire community, beginning with recycling,” he added.

The bins have two separate openings; one is for paper only, the other is for plastic bottles and cans.

“It is important that those discarding items in the receptacles do so correctly,” said Bishop Wagener, Solid Waste Director for Rutherford County. “If not recycled properly, certain items can contaminate the entire bin causing it to end up in the landfill rather than being recycled.”

In the paper side, only mixed office paper is accepted. This does NOT include glossy paper, paper products, or food-grade paper.

Plastic drinking bottles need to be rinsed, dried, and crushed. It is okay to leave the label on them. Cans should also be rinsed and crushed. This is a space saver and allows more items to be placed in the bins before they are emptied.

“One very important reminder is that these items must be loose,” Wagener warned. “If plastic bags are thrown into the receptacles, the bin becomes contaminated and the load will go into the trash.”

Items that are not accepted in the bins at the courthouse can be taken to the County’s Recycling Center located at 1140 Haley Road. With the exception of the Rockvale location, other County convenience centers will accept items for recycle other than electronics and paint.

For more information on locations, hours of operation, and what items can and cannot be recycled, please visit solidwaste.rutherfordcountytn.gov.