Washington County Doubles Recycling Hours

Washington County commissioners hope to attract more than 11,000 additional visits each year by doubling the hours at the county’s recycling center in Woodbury. Resident participation at the center has more than doubled since 2007. The center logged 37,323 visitors in 2014. Starting November 3rd, the recycling center will be open 31 hours per week, adding 14 hours each week to the center’s operation. The changes come in part from a traffic study that showed people visited the center even when it was closed, and often, finding it closed, tried to take their recycling materials to a private composting business nearby. The center averages 70 to 80 cars per hour making drop-offs on Saturdays. Jeff Travis, a Washington County environmental program manager said collections grew significantly when the county began accepting electronic waste in 2008 and again when it started taking plastic bags and Christmas lights in 2011. Travis also said the cost of running the center for more hours will be paid through the budget won’t increase the rate of the county’s environmental charge.