Lexington begins a new program to recycle paper today.

Six recycling bins for paper have been placed throughout the City. Residents and businesses may use these bright yellow containers to recycle newspapers, office paper, paper mail, magazines and catalogs. Only paper should be recycled in these bins. Paper should not be put in blue carts with other recyclables.

“This is the next step toward re-establishing our paper recycling service,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “This solution isn’t perfect, but it’s progress. For citizens who just don’t feel right about throwing away paper … and that’s me … it’s a good answer.”

The Mayor said many people want to recycle paper. “I hear from citizens about this issue on a daily basis,” Gorton said. “Having the option to recycle paper is important for our city.”

The paper-only bins are an extension of the successful pilot program that was conducted in the Government Center starting last October. The pilot found that collecting paper separated from other materials results in a cleaner product that mills will reliably purchase.

“As long as we can keep a clean stream of paper coming into the bins, we’ll be able to continue this program while we explore longer-term solutions,” said Nancy Albright, Commissioner of Lexington’s Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works.

A clean stream means only recycling newspaper, office paper, paper mail, magazines and catalogs in the yellow bins.

The paper recycling bins can be found at:

Masterson Station Park, 3051 Leestown Road

Constitution Park, 1670 Old Paris Road

Veterans Park, 650 Southpoint Dr.

Good Foods Coop, 455 Southland Dr.

Lexington Recycle Center, 360 Thompson Road

Pleasant Ridge Park, 1350 Pleasant Ridge Dr.

In other positive news for local recycling, Lexington’s Recycle Center re-opened Tuesday after a two-week shutdown for planned improvements. The improvements were part of an investment of nearly $2 million this year to enable the facility to more efficiently and reliably sort materials.

The center accepts: dry cardboard; aluminum and tin cans; plastic bottles and jugs; and glass bottles and jars. Much of Central Kentucky’s recycling is processed at Lexington’s Recycle Center, so this list applies beyond Lexington.

A map of paper bin locations, flyers showing which materials are accepted in the paper bins and mixed recycling carts, and a map of communities served by the Recycle Center can be found at lexingtonky.gov/recycle