Bins to recycle plastic and paper have moved across Vicksburg and are open for business.

Previously anchored at the Outlets at Vicksburg, the bins were moved over the past few days to the southwest corner of the parking lot of Post Plaza by MIDD-West Industries, a private nonprofit sheltered work center that offers employment training for disabled adults, including operating the receptacles.

Post Plaza is at 1601 N. Frontage Road.

The bins are suitable for newspapers, glossy newspaper inserts, computer paper, white office paper, magazines and colored paper.

No. 1 or No. 2 plastic bottles, such as those used for soft drinks, milk, water and detergent, also are accepted. The bottle numbers can be found on the bottoms.

Tubs, such as those used for margarine and motor oil, cannot be recycled with drink bottles.

MIDD-West Industries also has recycling bins for plastic and paper at Sherman Avenue, Redwood and Dana Road elementaries.

Kearney Waites, executive director of MIDD-West, said the bins were moved from the outlet mall because officials there are anticipating construction related to an extension of South Frontage Road from Old Highway 27.

Margaret Gilmer, manager of the Outlets, did not return calls for comment.

Waites said the recycling program benefits the community.

“The disabled participants win big time because they have a job they would not ordinarily have,” Waites said. “That job then serves as a springboard to bigger and better things for many of them, and the community wins because they have a free recycling program.”

He said participants often are able to live alone or with minimal assistance after learning through the program.

He emphasized proper use of the bins, saying MIDD-West previously has had to remove some because unacceptable items were dumped there.

Pat Cashman, the owner of Post Plaza, said he was eager to assist MIDD-West in finding a location for the bins.

“I offered our spot here because we at the newspaper have been into recycling since the late ’60s,” he said. “I’m a firm believer in the recycling effort. It’s good for MIDD-West and good for the community. In the times we live in now, there’s no reason not to have recycling available.”

MIDD-West’s efforts coincide with the city’s push to encourage recycling in a program started May 5. Residents living between Cherry Street, Eisenhower Drive, East Avenue and Chambers Street and in the 2100 block of Drummond Street south to Vicksburg High School are allowed to recycle in individual bins collected by Waste Management, the city’s garbage hauler.

Residents in the program areas who want to participate may call the city at 601-801-5377.