| Lerone Graham

lerone.graham@roanoke.com, 381-8621

CHRISTIANSBURG -- Valley Curbside Recycling has plans to add personnel and a new promotion to increase customers.

Co-founder Jeremy Hart said he's been pleased with how the business has been going since it launched in February to provide curbside recycling to Christiansburg residents.

The company is getting consistent sign-up rates, hits on its Web site and experiencing no "major hiccups" with collections, Hart said. The collection vehicle still runs well, though it "smells a little different" than when he and co-founder Ryan Stewart bought it, Hart said.

Stewart declined to say how many customers the company now has, but said he and Hart are adding subscribers every week.

Hart also said the company may soon expand. Aside from Hart and Stewart, the only employee is driver Mike Kanavel. Hart said he is working on a job description to hire someone to help with operations.

"I think that's pretty good. Within the first six months, we're making a couple of hires and continuing to grow," Hart said.

Lee Matthis was among residents who began receiving the service in February and said he has no complaints.

"I certainly think I'm getting my money's worth," Matthis said.

Matthis said he recycled prior to the company opening, but it became tedious for him and his family to lug their three overflowing bins to the recycling drop site, making a "putrid mess" in the back of his SUV.

Jennifer Sowers said her family didn't used to recycle, but the curbside service now makes it convenient.

"We are glad to spend a little money in order to save our time from having to try to deliver items to the local recycle center," she said.

Valley Curbside is offering a new promotion for the remainder of April.

"Ryan and I were just kind of talking about Earth Day and how we wanted to celebrate, because it is an important part of what we're doing," Hart said.

During this promotion, the company will give away free recycling bins to every new subscriber.

The blue 18-gallon recycling bins normally cost $20.

Christiansburg residents can sign up for Valley Curbside's service at RecycleNRV.com. The price is $15 a month for a three-month subscription, $14 a month for six months and $12.50 a month for a year.