Work is about 60% complete on South Lebanon Township’s new recycling center, which is expected to open later this year. The center will allow township residents to recycle green waste, including Christmas trees; cardboard; plastic; glass; and cans more conveniently.“People have to think about it,” said Steve Krause, supervisors chairman. “We do not have unlimited resources and supplies. When it comes to recycling, we’ve come a long way in our lifetimes, but I’ve seen some regression. We still have people throwing garbage on roadways. We need to know how to take care of these things. It’ll make things better at the end of the day.”
Right now, some of the Linden Road site is paved and fenced, and is housing a mulch pile and township equipment. For the recycling center to be completed, security cameras, a key-card entry system, lighting, sewer lines and more paving and fencing must be installed, and a grinder for green waste must be purchased. In the future, South Lebanon Township also plans to construct a utility building at the site.
South Lebanon already has secured two grants in the $300,000-to-$350,000 range for the recycling center, and it hopes to secure a third of similar size to complete the project. If it does, nearly $1 million of the $1.5 million project will have been covered by grants.
The township also has tried to hold costs down by doing some of the work itself through its public works department. “There are a lot of things mandated by the state, and there are a lot of incentives,” Krause said. “Some of it is mandated, some of it is voluntary and some of it is requested by our residents. This has been a worthwhile effort. I think we’re doing the right thing.”