Recycling resumes in Jackson

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Jackson is back in the recycling game, taking it one step at a time.

While many cringe at the idea of throwing away accumulating water bottles, Keep Jackson Beautiful has an environment-friendly solution.

“We answered the call that the citizens wanted,” said Keep Jackson Beautiful Executive Director Alicia Crudup.

Curbside recycling ended in 2018, leaving residents without a free alternative.

Hundreds in the city asked for a return of recycling.

On America Recycles Day, Keep Jackson Beautiful announced the official relaunching of recycling in the city. The program is starting out with collecting ONLY plastic water bottles at drop-off locations.

“We brought recycling back at no cost to citizens, and that’s a great feat,” said Crudup. “Because we all know that recycling events though it’s something that’s beneficial to our environment you do have to pay out to have the program.”

The Jackson Zoo, Westside Community Center, Smith Wills Stadium, The Tougaloo College Community Center, and Jackson’s Environmental Service Center are the drop-off sites. The Jackson Zoo is the only location accepting aluminum beverage cans.

Niagra, Replenish, and DEQ are among the participants in the JXN Recycle Program. Plastic water bottles are easily recycled and are a valuable source for manufacturers.

“Even outside of bottles and what we produce with PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) you’ll have other venues that will use PET to make items from your clothing to your shoes to your computer to your carpet,” said Dereith Sutton with Niagra Bottling. “All sorts of users use PET. It isn’t just the beverage industry.”

Jackson recycling company Environmentality is collecting the items from the sites.

Since October of 2022, officials said more than 300,000 bottles, an estimated 17,000 pounds, have been collected at private and public drop-off locations. Entergy is providing funding for future plastic bottle drop-off locations in South Jackson.

To find out about JXN Recycle Program drop-off sites near you, click here.

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