Polk Countys new mobile recycling unit proved on its first day to be beneficial.

Monday it was set up at Harmon Field and resulted in the collection of 1,700 lbs. of recycling. The unit collected three bins of plastics and two bins of paper products.

The unit will be located at the Green Creek Fire Department today from 7 a.m. to noon.

Yesterday the unit was in Saluda at the corner of U.S. 176 and Ozone Drive in the Tickle Family Health Center parking lot.

The unit will be at Harmon Field on Mondays (in the parking lot opposite the Tryon Presbyterian church), Tuesdays in Saluda (in the Tickle Family Health Center parking lot) and Wednesdays at the Green Creek Fire Department. Hours will be 7 a.m. to noon at all locations.

The Polk County Board of Commissioners talked Monday night about how well the mobile unit did on its first day.

The mobile recycling unit was made possible through grants from the Polk County Community Foundation and the N.C. Division of Pollution Prevention. The school system also saved money on the Sunny View addition project, which will enable the county to place recycling trailers at Polk County High School, Polk County Middle School and Tryon Elementary School. Saluda, Polk Central and Sunny View Schools recycling material will be collected and stored for pickup.