Lexington, Ky. — The Lexington Recycling Center has reopened after a ten-day closure dedicated to significant upgrades and installation of new equipment. The facility is critical for processing recyclable materials in the region.
The improvements included replacing a crucial piece of equipment known as the baler, along with an essential tent cover. Julie Hatter, a representative from the Materials Recovery Facility, explained the role of these upgrades in maintaining operational efficiency. “We recover recyclable materials here and we package them and bale them up for shipment to our buyers,” Hatter stated.
The tent cover is the first stage of the recycling process, where materials are deposited. Keeping these items dry is vital as wet materials can obstruct machinery, reducing the facility’s efficiency. The baler, on the other hand, compacts materials before they are loaded onto trucks for distribution. “The baler essentially compacts those materials,” Hatter added. “The way we transport them is by putting them into bales and then loading the bales on the semi-trucks.”
Once processed, the bales are sent to various markets, including those for plastics, metals, and fibers. Hatter noted that the fibers are particularly important, as they are utilized in the production of paper and cardboard. In contrast, plastics and metals are repurposed to create new items such as cans and glass bottles.
Despite the center’s capabilities, not all items are suitable for recycling. Common contaminants include car batteries, parts, and plastic bags, which workers must manually remove. “We see a lot of things that should not be here,” Hatter remarked, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced at the facility. The use of technology aids in sorting the large volumes of recyclables entering the facility each day.
The reopening of the center marks a commitment to continue improving recycling efforts in Lexington. “I encourage people to recycle, it’s a great thing, and it’s not going away,” Hatter concluded, emphasizing the positive environmental and economic impacts of recycling initiatives in the community.
