The country’s second-biggest waste-removal company is acquiring the nation’s largest independent recycling processor.

The new company will be focused on going-green in geographies that are, so far, behind.

The acquisition involves 26 recycling centers in 14 states, primarily in locations where Phoenix-based Republic Services already operates. By acquiring North Carolina-based ReCommunity, the combined facilities will manage approximately 1.6 million tons of recycled commodities annually.

Republic’s CEO Don Slager said recycling is and will continue to be one of the fastest growing segments of the waste removal industry. Slager also said markets where recycling is not practiced regularly will be their priority.

Republic currently runs 64 recycling centers nationwide, which gather 2.5 million tons of recyclables a year.