The Laurel Regional Recycling Center is located just west of US Hwy 20 and south of the BNSF Shortline rail that runs through Laurel. 

Open dawn to dusk

Based on data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 4.5 lbs. of refuse is produced every day by each individual (regardless of age) in this way:

• 40% or 1.6 lbs paper and cardboard
• 9% or .36 lbs metals
• 8% or .32 lbs plastics

Using this formula and compensating for the small percentage of residents that recycled, Laurel was sending 410 tons of recyclables to a landfill yearly.  According to the EPA, if every household recycled, Laurel would have a very real opportunity to reduce annual sanitation costs by 64.1% – a savings of $41,416.73/year or $3,451.39/month.

Neither the city of Laurel nor any other community can in good conscience continue driving 11,435 miles (or more) each year to transport tons of recyclables to be buried.  Never before has the expression “money pit“ been more fitting.  It is neither economically possible nor environmentally responsible to keep doing this.

Plans to correct this situation include:
Phase 1 – A new innovative regional recycling facility is open daily in Laurel to serve the public.
Phase 2 – Promoting, educating, and instilling in everyone that they must assume ownership for personal recycling responsibilities.  Ecologically and economically it’s a necessity.

Global warming, air pollution, and ground water contamination are all helped through recycling.  Protecting landfills for the things that really do need to be thrown away is important too so they shouldn’t be filled up unnecessarily.

Communities have an opportunity to determine how to keep sanitation expenditures and rates from going up and how to help clean up the ecosystem at the same time. Recycling is not only essential but imperative.

As of Dec 31st 2016, Laurel Regional Recycling has successfully diverted 2.57 million pounds of recyclables from being buried in a land fill.