ATHENS, GA- Starting in January, apartment complexes in Athens will be required to provide recycling bins for residents. A 2012 mandate requiring off-campus housing and businesses to provide recycling receptacles has been in place for nearly two years, but 50% of complexes have two weeks left to comply.

The recycling authority set a January 1st, 2015 deadline for apartment complexes to comply with the regulations.

River Club has recently started a recycling program at the apartment complex. River Club Manager, Matt Lee says they have had a lot of success with the program.

However, Lee sees how other apartment complexes might have issues implementing the 2012 mandate. He says “Some complexes might have a hard time finding the correct space for it, you have to have it visible.”

Ultimately Lee says that it can be difficult to implement a recycling program and bins if you don’t have the budget for it.

Recycling Advocate, Courtney Pearce says that some complexes are ignoring the policy until they have to implement it.

As of right now more than half of the apartments and businesses still need to implement recycling programs under the mandate.