State now bans plastic bottles from trash

By KEN MURCHISON

Starting Thursday, it will be illegal to put plastic soda or water bottles in the trash in North Carolina.

Beginning Oct. 1, all plastic bottles must be recycled. The state is also banning oil filters and wooden pallets from landfills.

North Carolina recovers less than one out of every five plastic bottles generated in the state, despite having some of the largest processors of the bottles.

The new ban is intended to boost the recovery of bottles, in large part to meet the growing demand for the materials.

“Widespread compliance with the plastic bottle disposal ban will ensure a flow of plastic bottles to meet market demand for the materials and will result in additional job creation through the expansion of recycling collection companies,” said Scott Mouw, environmental supervisor for the state Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance.”

The Town of Spring Hope is asking residents to make as better effort of recycling plastic bottles. Residents who do not have recycling bins should call the town at 478-5186 to request one. Only about 25 percent of residents currently recycle.

The Town of Bailey is starting a recycling program on Thursday. Bailey attempted to have a recycling program a couple of years ago, but residents did not use the service in sufficient numbers to keep the program going.