For years, Anson County has been working to implement a recycling program, an initiative that became more urgent on Oct. 1, when it became illegal to dump plastic bottles in landfills in the state of North Carolina. Aluminum cans have been banned for more than a year now, but neither law is heavily enforced.

When the landfill came under new ownership, the county was finally able to work out an agreement with the new owners, Waste Connections, to begin recycling certain items.

"We're trying to work this thing in the best that we can," said solid waste manager and recycling coordinator Sam Dawkins. "We want people to be patient with us. We don't know how much the people of Anson County will want to recycle but it's something that needs to be done."

Dawkins and his staff are working to make recycling as convenient as possible for county residents. Right now, recycling is mixed, or co-mingled, meaning that all recyclable materials are to be placed into one large bin at one of six convenience centers throughout the county. In many other counties, recyclables are separated into bins for plastic bottles, aluminum cans, paper and so on.

Items that can be recycled in Anson County include plastic bottles, glass of any color, aluminum cans, paper (including paper boxes, office paper, catalogs, etc.) and cardboard, and all types of metal.

There was a paper recycling bin at the landfill previously, Dawkins pointed out, but the previous owners never emptied it.

"We've needed this for years and years," Dawkins said. "The more we recycle, the less that will be in our landfills. Most of the surrounding counties already have programs, and we've just got to get in the habit of doing it because it's here and more importantly, it's the right thing to do."

Once the recycling bins at the six convenience centers are full, Waste Connections transports the materials to a recycling center in Uwharrie, he explained.

"Since there are six sites, there's one that's close to just about everybody," he added.

The convenience center locations and phone numbers are:

• Ansonville, 2244 Plank Road, 704-826-6353.

• Burnsville, 26 Jones Pond Road, Polkton, 704-826-6357

• Gatewood Station, 860 Old U.S. 52 South, Wadesboro, 704-694-9375

• Lilesville, 2668 Hailey's Ferry Road, 704-848-4549

• White Store, 5574 Union Church Road, Polkton, 704-272-8474

• Anson County Landfill, 375 Dozer Drive, Polkton.

The convenience centers are open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The landfill is open every day.

Dawkins is also working with Lanette Phillips, director of the Rotary Planetarium and Science Center, to get a recycling program started in the county's schools. "Education starts in the schools," he said. "The kids take it home to their parents and it grows from there."

Dawkins would also like to work with local law enforcement to cut down on litter. "If people want to recycle, they'll put loose newspapers, for example, in the back of their trucks," he explained. "Please secure it. There's no sense in saving it if it's just going to end up on the side of the road."

It's also illegal to leave trash sitting outside the gates of the convenience centers, Dawkins pointed out. He and the sheriff's office often open the trash and if they can identify its source, they will contact the person who dumped it illegally and issue a fine.

There's also a litterbug hotline, through which motorists can report any littering activity they may see on the roadways. 1-877-DOT-4YOU (1-877-368-4968).

Penalties for littering, which includes letting trash fly off unsecured loads, can range from a $2,000 fine to community service work and one point on a person's driver's license.

"The recycling program and littering are my biggest concerns," Dawkins said. "if we get this county even halfway cleaned up, it will make a big difference. When developers or prospective homeowners come through, it makes a big difference how much trash there is on the side of the road. Nobody wants to move to a dirty county."