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Podiatrist Jennifer Fenney of Shenandoah Podiatry has donated 12 recycling cans for high school sport fields and Greenfield Park.

The Botetourt Recycling Task Force Committee made-up of staff and volunteers met on Tuesday night Feb. 10. The group discussed the recycling rate which is the ratio of total waste to recycled waste. Botetourt County runs at just under 12 per cent and the DEQ as well as the county would like to see the recycling rate for citizens improve.

Jennifer Fenney, a local Podiatrist and parent of an LBHS student, has donated 12 recycling cans for the high school ball fields and for Greenfield Park. The idea behind beginning at these areas is that all will be in use for spring sports and will give the county a good starting point on the collection of recycled materials at the fields. Plastic bottles will be the only material accepted at the ball parks.

In the month of October the school division recycled 10 tons of material. Since then the number has fallen, but school breaks could be part of that. Beth Walton is the liaison for Public Works and Clean Valley Council and the schools. She has spoken to over 400 students about recycling and going green.

The signage at the recycling centers has been beneficial and it has been months since a load of recycled materials from Botetourt has been refused by the recycler because of contamination. "Please breakdown cardboard boxes before placing them in the bin," said Public Works Director, Ron Smith. The new buzz words for the landfill are "Division of Solid Waste." The new Citizen's Center at the land fill should be open by the end of March. Asphalt has been laid this week on the road and it goes all the way to Catawba Road. A 42 inch wall will keep the vehicle traffic away from the trash collectors, so the word is pack those bags light enough for you to lift it over to toss it into the containers.

A brochure of the recycling sites and what can and cannot be recycled in Botetourt County is on the county website.