The Athens-Limestone Recycling Center closed to the public for the last time on April 15, leaving residents of Limestone County with no place to recycle our steel, aluminum, cardboard, paper and some plastics.

The Limestone County Commission has no plan to take over this service, meaning roughly 2,600 tons more garbage going into the landfill yearly. This not only hurts residents, but also businesses, as evidenced by the large numbers of alcoholic beverage containers taken to the center. The city of Athens has a more limited recycling program, which does not take glass and takes a smaller assortment of plastic, but that doesn’t help the rest of the county.

The State of Alabama Department of Environmental Management is aware of the closing, but seems only concerned that the conditions of its grants to recycling center be fulfilled in the closing procedures. Some stores take very limited varieties of recyclables, but nothing like the variety or quantity the recycling center took.

David Williams

Elkmont