Local bars, restaurants to adopt recycling

NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Reduce. Re-use. Recycle. It’s a slogan you’ve heard before and now it’s one that hundreds in New Hanover County will have to follow.

Within the next year all restaurants and bars that serve alcohol will have to sort and send all of their bottles to the recycling center.

That’s because North Carolina lawmakers have passed an act that will require all county bars and restaurants with on-premises alcohol permits to recycle all wine, beer and liquor bottles they use.

Right now, there are over 400 establishments in the area that will have to adhere to this new law.

Bar owner Chuck Dorman said, “It’s important because we’re saving the earth. Glass is made of sand and we don’t want to use all of it, so now we can reuse it. We can crush these bottles and turn them right back into beer bottles and have alcohol in them again within 30 days.”

Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission administrators say if permit holders could face hefty fines if they don’t comply.