Recycle open house educates Le Mars residents

(Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) Le Mars City Hall employees Ann Bunkers (left) and Angie Kneip, prepare for the "After 5" Recycle Open House set for 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday at city hall. Residents will receive eco-tote bags and may sign up for free 95-gallon recycle totes. [Click to enlarge]

Le Mars residents will have an opportunity to learn about recycling options during a Chamber of Commerce "After 5" event Thursday, from 5 to 6 p.m. at city hall.

The "Recycle Open House" is a way to encourage Le Mars residents to recycle garbage items in an environmentally safe way, according to city staff members.

"Now is the time to recycle," said Angie Kneip, city accounting clerk. "We are trying to get more people aware of our recycling program."

Those attending the event, hosted in the city council chambers, may view a PowerPoint presentation on the recycling process from start to finish and also pick up a list of items that can be recycled.

The staff will also distribute 500 free eco-tote bags (reusable shopping bags), with a limit of one per attendee.

Citizens may also sign up for a 95-gallon blue tote, free of charge, which can be used for curbside pickup.

The number of households with the blue recycling totes keeps going up, Kneip added.

Residents who use a blue tote do not need to put recyclable items in blue bags.

"We try to make it as easy as possible for people to recycle," Kneip said.

She indicated some people have gone from the 95-gallon garbage totes to the smaller, 35-gallon totes since getting the blue recycling totes, as they are recycling more and putting less in the garbage totes.

The City of Le Mars went to recycling pickup twice a month starting in January 2009.

"We went to two times a month after people complained about their recycle totes being full," Kneip said. "Now they can recycle more."

Due to the success of citizens' recycling efforts, free residential garbage pickup will be offered for all Le Mars residents in December 2009.