Madison and Allied Waste are teaming up for a new recycling program at Palmer Park. The program’s goal is to promote conservation and help keep the busy municipal park clean.
In mid-May, Allied Waste placed new blue recycling carts through the park near concession stands and trash receptacles. Allied currently provides curbside recycling in the city.
Officials said response to the program has been great.
“The success of this new program has not only been defined by the large amount of recyclable plastic and aluminum already being removed from our waste stream, but also by the response of our park visitors,” Mayor Paul Finley said. “Our residents and visitors want to recycle and Allied Waste has partnered with us to make it a reality”.
From March to June, Palmer Park hosts more than 775 baseball games, 250 softball games and 27 regional weekend and baseball and softball tournaments. All these events mean the carts have been full each week, topped off with plastic water and sports drink bottles, as well as aluminum cans, all of which were once thrown in the trash.
Allied Waste officials said they were pleased with the results as well.
“Allied Waste is proud to partner with Madison and their recycling efforts,” Bill Brinkley, general manager of Allied Waste in Huntsville, said. “We are pleased the pilot program at Palmer Park is an early success. We look forward to many more successful recycling ventures with the residents and commercial businesses of Madison.”
The program will continue throughout the summer and possibly be expanded in the fall.