Arizona highway drivers will now be able to do something on the road they have never been able to do before… Recycle.
The Arizona Department of Transportation has kicked off a new recycling initiative at rest areas along state highways. ADOT spokesman Ryan Harding said the recycling initiative is a public service for travelers.
"There were large amounts of plastic bottles and aluminum cans that were tossed into the waste receptacles and those just get shipped to a landfill without being separated," Harding said. "We just wanted to do the right thing and ensure that recyclable materials were actually getting recycled."
Contract vendors will pick up the recyclables at least once a week. There are currently three rest areas participating in the program: one along I-17 near the Sedona turn-off, one near Wickenburg along US-60 and one along I-10 near the California state line.
Harding said ADOT would like to see the program expand and hit all 14 rest areas across the state.