More than a month after the official launch of a recycling program in Brookhaven, city leaders feel positive about the initial results and hope for continued growth of the program.

     In August, the first official month of the program, about 1.5 percent of the waste produced by city residents was recycled rather than thrown away. Records show 6.1 tons of recyclables were collected compared to 392 tons of solid waste collected.

     Ward Six Alderman David Phillips deemed those good figures for the first month but remains forward looking.

     “Our goal is 10 percent, so we have a long way to go,” Phillips said.

     He’s optimistic, though, about the future success of recycling in Brookhaven.

     “I really do think the percentage will go up,” Phillips said.

     Phillips, who was instrumental in bringing recycling to Brookhaven, said he’s been pleasantly surprised that little garbage has been thrown into the recycling bins. The city’s recyclables are hauled to a center in Sumrall, and there have been no complaints about contamination from the center, although city officials have noted some occasional garbage and banned items.

     Solid Waste Director Willie Smiths said he has seen Styrofoam, tennis shoes and cantaloupe and watermelon rinds in the bins.

     Only paper and cardboard products, aluminum and steel containers and some plastics can be placed into the city’s recycling bins located at Central Fire Station on Brookhaven Street and Fire Station No. 2 on Willard Street.

     Styrofoam and glass can’t be accepted.

     Confusion about plastic probably remains the biggest problem, Phillips said.

     Only plastics marked as a “1” or a “2” are can be recycled through the city’s programs. This includes most beverage bottles and food containers. A plastics number can usually be found on the bottom of the container.

     Moving into the second month of the program, Phillips and other members of the city’s recycling committee are studying what steps will bring the most improvements.

     “We have to learn to handle material much more efficiently,” Phillips said.

     For example, the city is currently getting only about one ton of recyclable material in each bin. However, if the materials were compacted, the total capacity of the bins is probably closer to four or five tons, Phillips said.

     There are not yet any concrete proposals for dealing with this issue.

     There’s also been talk of placing small recycling receptacles at key sports venues around town, but the details are still being worked on. The city also plans to have a booth and receptacles at the Ole Brook Festival.

     “That will be an opportunity for us to be visible and get our message across,” Phillips said.

     The recycling committee also wants to hold a weeklong education program at two different local schools.

     Ward Four Alderman Shirley Estes believes the key is getting people to try recycling. Once residents start, Estes believes they will be hooked.

     “People are amazed how little garbage they have left,” Estes said.

     Sloane Smith agrees. She’s a Brookhaven resident and an avid recycling enthusiast.

     She said her family used to average 16 bags or more of garbage a week. Thanks to the recycling program, Smith said that has been cut in half to about eight bags a week.

     “I just think it’s the right thing to do. It’s what our children should be learning,” Smith said. “We’re looking out for our future.”

     Smith estimated she visits the recycling bin at Central Fire Station several times a week.

     Eventually Phillips and Estes would like to see that kind of enthusiasm grow enough to support a curbside recycling program.

     The city’s recycling results so far have yielded an average of 2.87 pounds of recyclables per home while curbside programs average 10 pounds per home, Phillips said.

     Recycling rates that high would be a real boon, Estes said.

     Reducing the city’s waste stream lowers the fees paid to haul off that waste. Increased recycling also brings more revenue from the sale of those recyclables.

     “We’re looking at how to get some revenue for the city,” Estes said.