Recycling center now accepting glass, some electronics

Gadsden Recycles, at 306 Henry St., has been open since January. Matthews on Thursday said the center is accepting all grades of plastic, 1 through 7, along with glass, newsprint, office paper, styrofoam, metals, aluminum and other cans, cardboard and electronics.

Matthews said he has been pleased with the community’s response to the center. “It’s really impressed to me that people are doing it (recycling) to the degree they are,” he said.

Brian Riddlespur, an employee at the center, said more than 300,000 pounds of material has been collected since it opened.

He expects that amount to increase since the center has begun accepting glass, a material many people had asked about recycling. “It will really pick up,” he said.

Matthews said the center would prefer glass be separated by color, since some colors are more valuable than others.

“But we’ll take it anyway,” he said.

Matthews said the center is partnering with Back Forty Beer Co. to get glass from its brewery.

The center is accepting electronic items that can be “plugged into the wall,” Matthews said, including old computer monitors. However, only flat-screen televisions will be accepted.

Refrigerators are being accepted at the city’s transfer station, as long as they have been tagged by a technician that all Freon has been removed.