Salinans lined up early Wednesday morning to be among the first to take advantage of the new Drive-Thru Recycling Center located at 125 W. North Street.

“We’ve stayed busy throughout the entire time we’ve been open since about 8 o’clock today,” said Operations Manager for Salina Public Works-General Services, Jim Teutsch.

“We’re getting people through in about 30-seconds per car.”

The mission of the facility is to simplify the recycling process for the public, by eliminating the need to sort items and adding the ease of drive-through drop off.

“Single stream is what it’s called, you don’t have to separate it and it will all go into a recycling packer truck.”

Teutsch tells KSAL News that once the truck is full, it’s compacted on board and driven to a facility in Hutchinson for separation and recovery.

The new center is open Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30am to 6pm and available for all Salina and Saline County residents.

Instructions:
1. Passenger cars, SUVs, light trucks, trailers, and vans only. Material must be bagged, boxed or bundled.
2. Drive-thru only. Walk-in service not available.
3. Please stop/wait when a red light is present, and only enter the recycling center when the light is green.
4. Remain in your vehicle throughout your visit.
5. Approach the designated drop-off point slowly, place vehicle in park, shut-off engine, and open your trunk.
6. No Styrofoam, packaging “peanuts”, cigarettes, flammable materials, hazardous or toxic wastes, plastic bags, or liquids of any kind.
7. All recyclables must be clean and dry.
8. All bags and containers will be checked and unacceptable items returned.
9. Once your box, bin and unaccepted materials have been returned, please exit the building carefully.

Acceptable Items:

• Aluminum and steel (tin) beverage and food cans
• Cardboard and pasteboard (flatten for better use of space)
• Glass containers (all colors of food and beverage jars and bottles)
• Magazines/catalogs, junk mail, office paper, books
• Newspapers (including inserts)
• Plastic beverage, food and soap containers (plastics 1-7)

Unacceptable Items:

• Batteries
• Cigarettes
• Fluids or aerosols of any kind
• Hazardous chemical containers (motor oil, pesticides, etc.)
• Other glass (windshields or glass panes)
• Other plastics not listed above
• Paint cans
• Plastic bags
• Shredded paper
• Styrofoam and packaging “peanuts”

For more information, call (785) 309-5750 or visit www. salina-ks.gov.