Image by Flickr user Aaron Webb

Charleston County's one-bin recycling initiative begins today in selected communities.

Residents in these select neighborhoods, listed here, will be able to put all of their recyclable glass, metals, paper and plastic in a single container. According to The Post and Courier, the sixth-month testing period will determine if the one-bin system increases or decreases the amount of materials collected from the nearly 4,600 home test group. 

Here's some more information from Charleston County:

This week, residents of the selected neighborhoods are receiving either 95-gallon or 65-gallon roll-carts for all their recyclable materials to begin using immediately. Charleston County crews will begin collecting on Monday, Jan. 24 and collection days will remain the same.

In the pilot program, residents will put paper products (including cardboard) and commingled containers (plastics, glass, aluminum and steel) together in the new roll-cart. This process is known as single-stream recycling. The County currently operates a dual-stream recycling system whereby residents separate their recyclables into two bins, but this will temporarily change for pilot participants.

“Not only is single-stream recycling easier for residents, it enables neighborhoods to stay cleaner and neater with the use of larger, closed-top carts,” said Nancy Carter, Charleston County Environmental Management Department’s Community Representative. “Our goal is for non-recyclers to begin participating in the curbside program and for current participants to recycle even more.”

Collections personnel will use special automated trucks equipped with mechanical arms to lift and empty the roll-carts at the curb. Because the driver does not have to exit the vehicle and repeatedly lift heavy bins, the process is faster, more cost-effective and safer.

To learn more on the one-bin recycling initiative, click here.