Hattie Lester was a bit disappointed with the turnout for the city’s first “Suffolk Recycles” event, held on Earth Day this spring.

With Earth Day falling on a Wednesday this year, only 40 people showed up for the midday event at White Marsh Plaza.

Lester, Suffolk’s litter control coordinator, hopes that the collection drive will be more successful on the second effort. “Take II” of Suffolk Recycles, is set for Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, again at White Marsh Plaza, located at 1226 White Marsh Road.

The event is sponsored by the Suffolk Clean Community Commission, which, Lester said Thursday, “wants to start promoting environmental stewardship” in the city.

“The Earth’s resources are being consumed at a fast rate,” she said. “We just want people to start thinking about the future.”

Lester hopes that the near future includes a large group of people who turn out for the recycling event on Saturday.

Representatives from Shred-It will be on hand with their mobile paper shredder to help folks deal with documents that might be outdated but still contain sensitive information, Lester said.

Having the shredding company available is a response to requests from the community, she added.

“I try to go by the concerns of the residents that I get calls from.”

Representatives from the Southeastern Public Services Authority also will accept household hazardous materials such as paint, degreasers and old batteries. Normally, residents would have to deliver those items straight to the regional landfill.

The authority also has a box set up at White Marsh Plaza for recycling of plastic, glass and newspapers. It is one of 13 such boxes around the city, Lester said. Some of those locations also have a box for collecting cardboard for recycling. While White Marsh Plaza doesn’t normally offer cardboard recycling, Lester said she personally will take care of any cardboard items brought to the site on Saturday.

Saturday’s event will not include an electronics drop-off. There will, however, be giveaways for everyone who participates.

“If you even just bring a can, we’ll give you something,” Lester said.

She understands that folks in the northern part of the city might feel a bit left out, she said, so the commission is planning a recycling event in that area sometime this winter.

It’s all about encouraging people to start take the initiative to recycle, even when there is no special event.

“We want to edge them on and kind of ignite it,” she said. “It’s easy. Just set another can in your kitchen, right next to your trash can.”