WINDSOR – The town of Windsor is putting its money where its mouth is, in a pretty literal way.

In the past several months the town has been encouraging citizens to be more involved in the recycling program. Now, they’re helping citizens by slicing the price of recycle bins and allowing citizen input into the spending of the proceeds.

“The mayor and town board has been placing an emphasis on getting our recycling program going again,” Commissioner Kathy Wilson said. “We felt a good way to do that was to promote it and remind people of its availability.

“The next step is to put the recycle bins on sale for half price,” she said.

Those wishing to buy all four recycle bins can do so for $12 plus tax. Also, those wishing to replace recycle bins that are in bad shape can do so for $3 each plus tax.

Wilson said the sale would allow consumers in the town to have the recycling bins at a better rate and town officials hope it will help participation. The recycling bins will remain on sale until the current inventory is depleted.

The commissioners also said the board was aware of the work done by the town’s sanitation department, but the group was willing to take on any extra labor added by more recycling.

“They’re hard workers and they are working with us to make sure the items in the recycling bins are picked up for recycling and kept separately,” Wilson said.

In addition to working with the public to allow for cheaper access to the recycling bins, the town is also encouraging recycling by taking another unusual step.

“We have decided to take the funds generated through recycling and use them for special projects,” Wilson said. “That means the money won’t just go into the general fund, it will be used in other ways to help the town.

“In fact, we want to hear from our citizens about ways they would like to see the money used,” she said.

Wilson indicated the town annually received approximately $2,000 from recycling sales but hoped that would double through an increase in participation.

“Obviously, the more people who participate, the better return we’ll get when we sell the recycling,” she said. “That will in turn help us provide more money to special projects the people of Windsor want to see.”

Participating in the recycling program is easy. The town provides for recycling collection at the same time as garbage pickup each week. The cost is part of the trash pickup that citizens and businesses already pay.

The town’s recyclables are broken down into four areas – glass, metal cans, newspaper and junk mail, and plastics.

There are colored bins for each of the four items that should be sorted.

All glass containers are to be placed in the bin, but the town asks that all liquids be discarded and the glass bottles rinsed out.

Metal cans that are to be sorted include soft drink cans, beer cans, and food and juice cans. The town requests the cans be emptied, rinsed and placed in the container. It is not necessary for consumers to remove paper labels.

Newspaper and junk mail are able to be sorted into the paper bin. That includes all inserts that come in the newspaper. No magazines, phone books, plastic or paper bags are accepted.

In the plastics bin, all PET symbol #1 and HYDE symbol #2 on the bottom of the container can be placed in the bin. Caps and lids are to be removed.

Wilson said the main thing was for the citizens to get in the habit.

“I hate to say it, but there was a time when I had stopped recycling too,” she said. “I have gotten back into the habit of it now and that’s exactly what it is, a habit.

“It’s a good thing to teach young people and, overall, it’s just the right thing to do,” she added.

Those wishing to purchase the bins at the reduced price should go to the Windsor Town Hall on Queen Street. Those with ideas about special projects are asked to call Diane White at 794-2331.