Lackawanna County is hoping education translates into participation for its one-bin paper fiber recycling program.
In the coming days, nearly 87,000 households will receive a full-color brochure in the mail detailing the paper fiber recycling campaign and offering other useful recycling information.
The fliers were mailed Friday, county spokesman Joe D'Arienzo said.
"The long and short of it is this is a big program, and the more we educate the public, the easier it is going to be for municipalities and the people who participate," he said.
Under the program, which was announced by the commissioners on Nov. 1, residents in participating communities can now place all of their paper fiber recyclables - everything from newspapers and junk mail to corrugated cardboard and cereal, cracker and pizza boxes - in a single bin.
Commingled items such as cans, plastic bottles and glass jars will continue to be recycled together in a separate bin.
All of that is explained in the brochure, which also outlines the materials that cannot be accepted at the recycling center, Mr. D'Arienzo said.
"It's a little refresher," he said.
County officials anticipate the new program will double the volume of paper fiber the average county resident can recycle.
Colleen Connolly, spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection office in Wilkes-Barre, said expanded paper fiber recycling programs are common in certain parts of the state but have been slow to catch on in Northeast Pennsylvania.
"We are trying to push that," she said.
Contact the writer: dsingleton@ timesshamrock.com