Payson Roundup | Payson, AZ

Stop throwing out your old newspapers and junk mail ... by July 1, the Town of Payson will enter the recycling business.

Public Works Director Buzz Walker said community recycling efforts are already under way for products such as aluminum cans, batteries, motor oil, appliances and tires. But the town has been lacking a paper recycling program.

"Approximately 40 percent of all material hauled to the landfill is made up of paper products, such as newspaper, cardboard, junk mail and mixed office paper," Town Manager Rich Underkofler said, in a May 15 memo to the Town Council. "We will attempt to intercept much of this solid waste material before it gets to the landfill."

Walker said the town will use grants from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, to begin a recycling program to capture as much disposable paper as possible. The grants will pay for large drop-off receptacles and a community-wide recycling education program.

Walker said the first drop-off container will be placed at Green Valley Park, and additional sites will be strategically placed around town in the future.

"We are working with Wal-Mart to put a container there, but they haven't gotten back to us yet," he said.

The town is developing a brochure that details the recycling program, and also lists the locations of other recling programs that are currently accepting aluminum cans, batteries, motor oil, appliances and tires.

For more information, contact the Town of Payson at 474-5242.

Recycling collection sites

Aluminum cans Payson Town Hall, Payson Golf Course, Payson Humane Society
Used motor oil, automobile batteries, residential motor oil in 5-gallon quantities AutoZone, Checker Auto

Plastic grocery bags Bashas'

Used motor oil, scrap metal, appliances, passenger tires, and automobile batteries Buckhead Mesa Landfill

Copper, brass, scrap aluminum, radiators, aluminum cans Rye Recycling