The pace of recycling is picking up in Texarkana, Arkansas.

The City of Texarkana, Arkansas, is pleased to announce that last weekend’s Green Texarkana recycling event collected 11.52 tons of material, setting a recycling record for the city.

Green Texarkana has been held once monthly since February 2010. The previous record was set in October 2011, with 8.4 tons of recyclable material.

"I’m thrilled with the results from Saturday’s collection because it shows our residents have a true dedication to recycling,” said Brandy Chewning, the city’s recycling coordinator. “Some of our recyclers had to wait in line behind a dozen other vehicles before they could be unloaded, and we want to thank them for their patience.”

Chewning said the average recycled through Green Texarkana is just over 6 tons per month, and believes some of the extra material Saturday could have stemmed from confusion over May’s collection date.

'We hold Green Texarkana on the second Saturday of each month but in May we moved it a week because of RailFest,” she said. “Our numbers were really down in May but I think most of the people who missed us held onto their material and brought it to us this month.”

Chewning said Railfest, the annual spring event at Front Street Festival Plaza, will be held one week earlier in 2015, so Green Texarkana can maintain its second-Saturday schedule.

The City of Texarkana, Arkansas, has recycled more than 56 tons of waste this year through Green Texarkana and mobile recycling trailers. To learn more visit www.arkansas.txkusa.org/departments/recycling

More From Eagle 106.3