Waste Not! Carroll

Jan. 13 -- A jail in Kansas is being honored by the U.S. EPA for its recycling efforts.The Hutchinson Correctional Facility in Hutchinson, Kan., has diverted more than 1.4 million pounds of solid waste from landfills since 2010, the EPA said. The facility has recycled more than 17,000 mattresses and is the only mattress recycling center in Kansas, the agency said.

The facility also recycled used inmate jeans. Useable remnants of the jeans are made into quilts that are donated to charitable organizations. Inmates make the quilts, and they’ve made more than 1,000 of them since the program started.

The EPA will present the facility with the WasteWise State Government Partner of the Year award for its efforts.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@crain.com or 313-446-6780.