Dutchess County's current and future executive toured an almost complete Beacon recycling facility. It's expected to open later this month and it has some advantages for recyclers. Our John Wagner has the details.

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BEACON, N.Y. -- After investing $17 million, the Hudson Baylor Corporation is weeks away from recycling in Beacon and cycling in new jobs.

"There's been over a hundred construction workers on the site, paychecks, payroll rotating and circulating in our community and then there's going to be over 50 permanent employees on this property," said current Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus.

The regional facility will take recyclables from a 50 mile radius and expects to process 60,000 tons in 2012.

"This is the way we redefine who we are as a society and as a community in recapturing whether it's plastic or glass or cardboard, newspaper," said Steinhaus.

"It provides tax relief, it provides economic benefit and it provides us an opportunity to really enhance and improve the efficiency of solid waste management in the county," explained Marc Molinaro, Dutchess County Executive-Elect.

Normal recycling can be confusing, but with the facilities single stream technology, you can throw all your recyclables in the same basket, making it easy to keep green.

"And instead of having two trucks go to your house to pick up, one pick up bottles and cans and one pick up paper products, one truck goes and picks that up," said Hudson Baylor communications director Chris Coady.

"It makes it easier, encouraging, ultimately, recycling," said Molinaro.

And to get the next generation going green, an on-site education center will teach kids how water bottles can turn into a winter jacket.

"So whether you got a scouts group from the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts or class group, you know, you can come here and learn about how recycling works as an environmental activity in your community," said Steinhaus. "I think it's going to be a great part of education to help us increase our recycling percentages."