The Chilton County Commission at its meeting Monday unanimously approved a resolution stating its support for a recycling partnership with Bibb County and the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Bibb County is writing a grant proposal to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management for the project.

The deadline for the grant to be submitted is March 1, and ADEM would have to approve the grant before the program was put into place.

Under the agreement, the county would simply allow DOC to place recycling bins throughout the county, most likely at schools, county Administrator Vanessa Hendrick said.

Bibb County would collect the material in both counties and transport it to DOC in Montgomery, where it would be sorted and processed. DOC would reap any financial revenue from the material.

The two counties would benefit by easing overloaded solid waste disposal programs.

“It’s not going to cost us anything, and our benefit would be just not having that waste at the transfer station,” Hendrick said.

Chilton County has a goal to reduce the volume of solid waste materials handled by 25 percent, according to the resolution adopted by the commission, and costs associated with the handling and disposal of solid waste continue to increase because of higher transportation costs and landfill fees.

The program could also help school-age children learn about recycling, commissioners said at the meeting.

At least Clanton’s and Thorsby’s city councils have also passed resolutions in support of a recycling program.