SPRINGFIELD - Stay-at-home orders mean recyclables might be piling up faster in your home. However, many recycling centers are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, leaving many at a crossroads on what to do.

While some people may not be able to do other alternatives like curbside recycling, Greenway Recycling owner Jim VonBehren wanted to help. That's why the local single-stream recycling company, set up two commingled bins for the community to discard their recycling.

VonBehren said that waste, paper, and plastic is an essential service, and it's what Greenway Recycling specializes in. He said although it's a busy time, he wanted the community to know they're all there for the same mission.

"We just want to assure the public that their recycling gets recycled and sorted and sorted off and back into the market place and it does not get landfill," explained VonBehren.

He explained that waste, paper, and plastic industries generally process and deal with a ton of material during the holidays. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in business, and that peak season came early. VonBehren said their job is to sort the recyclables and help get them processed back into the economy. He revealed the shift in business was really felt a few weeks ago. With many people being at home and not physically at work, It created a lot more packaging from food and toilet tissue.

"Toliet paper is produced from scrap paper and wood pulp," explained VonBehren. "So it just created a huge demand in the paper mill industry."

While Springfield Environmental services aren’t sure when it will reopen centers again, VonBehren assured the bins will be set up as long as they're needed. However, once they do open back, they'll have that conversation on what they'll do next.

The Greenway recycling bins are located in Springfield at north Fort Avenue and west Water Street. Just outside of New American Recycling, 357 N Fort Ave. You can discard all your recycling expect, glass, plastic bags, and styrofoam.