County unveils glass recycling options at local parks
Published 3:05 pm Monday, November 18, 2024
United Way of Southern Kentucky board member Tom Flynn (left) holds a box of empty glass containers as Warren County Deputy Judge-Executive Bryan Downing drops them into a new glass recycling bin at Ephram White Park, which was unveiled in a small ceremony Thursday.
Debbie Hills, president and CEO of United Way of Southern Kentucky, speaks during an unveiling ceremony for a new glass recycling bin at Ephram White Park on Thursday. The bin, along with a similar one at Basil Griffin Park, have come to Warren County Parks and Recreation through an agreement with O-I Glass, who will give the proceeds generated through the recycling to United Way of Southern Kentucky.
O-I Glass representatives Scott Lachmiller (left) and Andrew Kirk make a toast with empty bottles during an unveiling ceremony for a new glass recycling bin at Ephram White Park on Thursday.
Scott Lachmiller, business leader for O-I Glass, speaks during an unveiling ceremony for a new glass recycling bin at Ephram White Park on Thursday. The bin, along with a similar one at Basil Griffin Park, have come to Warren County Parks and Recreation through an agreement with O-I Glass, who will give the proceeds generated through the recycling to United Way of Southern Kentucky.
Warren County Deputy Judge-Executive Bryan Downing speaks during an unveiling ceremony for a new glass recycling bin at Ephram White Park on Thursday. The bin, along with a similar one at Basil Griffin Park, have come to Warren County Parks and Recreation through an agreement with O-I Glass, who will give the proceeds generated through the recycling to United Way of Southern Kentucky.
A glass recycling bin sits in the parking lot near the senior center at Ephram White Park on Thursday. The bin, along with a similar one at Basil Griffin Park, have come to Warren County Parks and Recreation through an agreement with O-I Glass, who will give the proceeds generated through the recycling to United Way of Southern Kentucky.
Reducing, reusing and recycling has returned to Warren County Parks and Recreation, this time in the form of two glass recycling containers located at Basil Griffin and Ephram White parks.
The Ephram White bin was unveiled Thursday in a small ceremony. The recycling services were made available through a “Glass4Good” agreement the Warren Fiscal Court reached in October with Ohio-based O-I Glass, that will donate the proceeds generated through the recycling to United Way of Southern Kentucky.
Bryan Downing, deputy Warren County judge-executive, described the partnership during the ceremony as “a great program.”
“This partnership exemplifies the power of a community that works together,” Downing told a group of WCPR staffers and representatives from O-I and United Way. “I just want to say thank you to O-I Glass.”
Debbie Hills, president and CEO of United Way, told attendees the initiative to add recycling services has been in the works for more than a year and said there were high hopes going in.
“It truly is the definition of collaboration,” Hills said. “We’re appreciative of the county supporting this effort and our friends at (Warren County) Parks and Rec.
“Every way you look at this, this is a win,” she said. “It’s a win for the community and for community members who believe in recycling.”
Recycling has been available at county parks in the past. WCPR head Chris Kummer told the Daily News in October that while services were available they were often misused, describing them as turning into “dump areas.”
For these new drop sites, only glass products will be accepted. The bins are designed to only accept certain shapes of containers and they are placed in high-visibility areas at both parks — near the senior center at Ephram White, and near the administration offices at Basil Griffin.
The Glass4Good agreement is set for one year. Kummer said in October that if the initial year of recycling goes well, renewal of the agreement could come.
This is not the first time O-I has had a presence in Warren County. The company announced last year a development in the Kentucky Transpark that will employ up to 140 people.
Scott Lachmiller, business leader for O-I, said the recycling work will be done outside of Warren County by a third-party processor. From there, the remains will be shipped to different O-I facilities and repurposed into the company’s glass container products.
“We believe that glass is never trash,” Lachmiller said. “Glass is 100% recyclable over and over again — there’s no degradation to glass itself … and it can be back on the shelf in as little as 30 days.”
About Jack Dobbs
Jack covers city government for the Daily News. Originally from Simpson County, he attended Western Kentucky University and graduated in 2022 with a degree in journalism.
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