Utah Valley's largest recycler is encouraging residents to keep at it.

While it's true that the market for recycled materials is down with the rest of the economy, that doesn't mean recycling has stopped, said Susan Hayward of Waste Management.

Because of national media reports about lower demand for recycled materials, Waste Management has been getting calls from people asking whether households should continue curbside recycling, she said.

"We are still recycling," she said. "Our plant is still running full-steam."

Rest assured, all recyclable materials collected are still being recycled, Hayward said. Recyclables from more than 16,000 households in Provo, Orem, Cedar Hills and Lehi are taken to the company's West Jordan plant, where 120-150 tons of recycling are processed each day, some by machines and some hand-sorted. That material is still being shipped to China, India, California, Wisconsin and myriad other places, where it is made into new products.

"Yes, recycling is still the thing to do," Hayward said, noting that Waste Management has even taken on extra customers as other recyclers in Utah have gone out of business.

Despite the recession, hundreds of new families have subscribed to recycling in Orem and Lehi in the past few months, she said.

"We are signing up hundreds of new homes," she said.

And even though times may be tough, recycling is still the best waste solution when it comes to the environment and reducing landfill size, she said.

"Waste Management has been in the recycling business since 1971 and we've witnessed a number of recyclable commodity pricing cycles," she said. "We ship recyclable products worldwide from India to China to South America and believe that the worldwide demand for these resources will grow again."

The company is committed to tripling the recyclables it collects from 8 million tons to 24 millions tons, she said, and gives a free educational program on recycling to groups that request it. To request a speaker, call Susan Hayward at (801) 282-8216 or send an e-mail to shayward@wm.com.

Materials that are suitable for recycling in Utah include:

• Newspaper, paper bags, catalogs, chipboard (cereal, cracker, shoe boxes) computer paper, construction paper, egg cartons, envelopes, junk mail, magazines, telephone books and white and colored paper

• Plastic bottles, jugs and jars with the 1 and 2 recycling designations

• Corrugated cardboard (flattened)

Non-acceptable materials include:

• Moisture or food-contaminated papers such as paper plates, pizza boxes, cups, napkins, towels or tissues

• Mirrors, light bulbs, drinking glasses, window glass and ceramics

• Styrofoam cups, food trays and packing materials

• Non-container plastic such as plastic bags, plastic wrap, hoses, toys, plastic plates, cups and straws

• Glass bottles, jars and containers

• Needles or medical waste