Eight recycling bottle bins shaped as giant plastic bottles have been placed around Corbin as part of the beverage industry recycling campaign. The bins feature a colorful new recycle logo, and will serve as a visual reminder to recycle away from home and as collection devices for empties.  The bottles/recycling bins are the results of a recent group effort by Pepsi, the Beverage Industry Recycling Program (BIRP) and the City of Corbin to raise awareness and encourage more people to recycle in the area.  A total of eight of these enlarged bottle-shaped bins have been strategically placed throughout the Corbin area and while he gave credit to the city and the BIRP program for their placement, Pepsi's Use Market Manager Darryl Barton said he hopes they are making a difference. 

"This is a good program and we really hope it raises awareness about recycling,² Barton said. "We really don't have a big role in these things other than helping get things started. They were all funded through the BIRP program and the city agreed to maintain them and empty them.  ³You really have to give credit to the city for agreeing to help this cause," he added.  According to Corbin Recycling Manager Greg Isom, the bins were strategically placed in areas of high traffic for a reason, but the bad news is people haven't caught on quite as fast as they could have.  The eight locations where the bins can be found are one each at the Baptist  Fitness Center, the Pepsi plant on the Corbin bypass, Tri-County Cineplex the Corbin Technology Centre, Corbin City Hall and three at Baptist Regional Medical Center (one on each floor). 

"We have these things at some locations where we expect a high volume of use," Isom said. "They still haven¹t been as full as we would like, but hopefully, things will pick up after people become more aware.  The main goal of these things is to make people aware of the need to recycle," he added.

"This community has come a long way in recycling and I think these will be a big asset toward raising awareness."  Barton said he believes a bigger responsibility is put on businesses like Pepsi to spearhead recycling efforts and one of Pepsi Bottling Group General Manager Sandy Austin-Feltner. 

"It¹s important for us to take a leadership roll in recycling for our community," Austin-Feltner said. "Especially when it comes to teaching our children about the importance of the environment and what recycling means for our future.  We have a real responsibility and I feel like we are making progress toward fulfilling it," she added. 

With plans in place to place more of the bins, Isom said he encourages people to take advantage of the program.  "This is a good thing," he said. "Pepsi has done a good thing by helping us and we hope to place more of these bins in the future where they are needed."