FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Brigitte Kantor, Lee County Solid Waste Division
              (239) 338-3302

CALLS KEEP COMING FOR RECYCLING BINS: NOW UP TO 3,000 REQUESTED!

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 6, 2004) - Since sending a mass mailing to encourage more recycling, Lee County has received requests from homeowners for more than 3,000 recycling bins - and the calls keep coming in.

The county sent "recycling reminder" postcards to 179,000 households last week to homeowners in unincorporated Lee County, the City of Cape Coral, City of Fort Myers, Town of Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs. The postcards are aimed at bringing more awareness to recycling in general, and the new cardboard recycling program specifically.

To receive a recycling bin, or additional bins for your recyclable products, call 239-338-3302. Plenty of recycling bins, referred to as "Blue Bins," are available at no cost to curbside serviced residents.

The county hopes to capture both those who have never recycled before, such as new residents, as well as those who recycle but want to increase their efforts through the county's new programs.

Over the past decade, residents were continuously reminded not to include certain fiber-cardboard boxes in their recycling bins. Well, this has changed! Lee County's Solid Waste Division was able to secure a commitment for marketing just about all types of cardboard material.

Residents can now recycle such items as beverage carrying boxes, cereal boxes, cracker boxes, rice and pasta boxes, even shoe and gift boxes, made from light cardboard. This also includes paper shopping bags of all colors.

This is just another way that Lee County is working on reducing your trash disposal cost. Anything that is recycled and stays out of the regular household trash will help stabilize your solid waste assessment. Additionally, it's a good thing because it saves natural resources by using less energy, raw material, and water to produce new products from recycled material.

The county estimates that for every 2,500 additional bins it delivers (at 10 pounds a bin per week), recycling is increased by 600 tons a year.

To learn more about how to better manage your household waste stream, visit the Solid Waste Division's web site a www.lee-county.com/solidwaste.