CAPE GIRARDEAU RECYCLING CONTINUES TO GROW

In the almost 10 years since the city began an official recycling program, Cape Girardeau residents have gradually warmed to the notion. Currently, 45 percent of the city's households participate in recycling by either putting out items to be collected once a week or by visiting the recycling center on North Broadview Street.

While recycling isn't mandatory, residents are encouraged to participate by city-imposed limits on the amount of trash that can be left for garbage haulers to take to the landfill. Last year, recycling diverted more than 1,700 tons of paper, glass, aluminum and other reusable resources from the landfill.

That's impressive.