The Henrico County Extension Office is encouraging fall gardeners to recycle their nursery plastics as part of a special effort on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Strange's Garden Center.

Garden pots, trays and containers with resin codes 2, 5 and 6 (the number printed on the bottom of the pot) can be recycled at the two locations of Strange's Garden Center, 12111 West Broad Street and 3313 Mechanicsville Turnpike. Henrico Extension and Strange's began the ongoing nursery plastics recycling program in the spring; Saturday's event will focus attention on the high volume of containers generated by the fall planting season.

The local effort is part of a statewide initiative to redirect nursery containers from landfills to recycling centers. Extension Agent Lisa Sanderson said that more than 300 million pounds of plastic are deposited in landfills nationwide each year.

"Much of this plastic can be recycled into new garden pots and nursery containers," she said.

Plastic collected at the garden centers is sent to a recycler that will use it to make new nursery products, Sanderson said.

Residents are encouraged to remove loose dirt and metal wire from garden pots before arranging them according to their resin code.

For more information, contact the Henrico Extension Office at 501-5160 or visit http://www.bse.vt.edu/green/Plastics/overview.htm