Lexington, Kentucky – The Lexington Recycling Center will be temporarily closed for major repairs from December 4 to December 15. The closure is necessary to replace a baler, a critical piece of equipment that compresses recyclables into large blocks, along with other essential machinery.
During this ten-day period, any items placed in the recycling bins will unfortunately be taken directly to the landfill, as city officials have specified. Residents are encouraged to hold onto their recyclables until the service resumes on December 16. Items deemed a priority to retain include aluminum and steel cans, as well as cardboard. Lesser priority items are glass, paper, and plastic.
This shutdown affects not only Lexington but also several partner communities that utilize the recycling services at the Lexington Recycle Center. The list of impacted locations includes Anderson County, Berea, Boyle County, Clark County, Danville, Frankfort, Franklin County, Georgetown, Harrison County, Harrodsburg, Jessamine County, Lawrenceburg, Madison County, Montgomery County, Nicholasville, Scott County, Shelby County, Shelbyville, Simpsonville, Versailles, and Winchester.
The city has faced recurring issues with the baler over the years, resulting in multiple shutdowns at the Thompson Road facility. In conjunction with the baler replacement, a fabric structure over the tipping floor will also be replaced. This structure plays an important role by ensuring that recyclables remain dry as trucks unload their materials.
Residents of Lexington should note that the final day to set out materials for recycling prior to the center’s reopening is December 3. After this date, there will be a pause in recycling services until December 16, when normal operations will resume.
City officials are hopeful that these repairs will not only enhance the efficiency of the recycling operation but also improve service reliability in the long term.
