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Recycling centers are feeling the economic crunch By A.J. PUCKETT"Many of the manufacturers that previously purchased recycled materials such as plastics and cardboard have scaled back production," said Dawson County Government and Community Affairs Representative Cathy Brooks. "Recycling companies have been forced to make adjustments in the materials they are able to accept in an effort to remain in business. This has affected Dawson County's recycling partners as well." Effective immediately the Dawson County Recycling Center will temporarily suspend acceptance of paperboard materials in addition to glass and plastics. "At present we can only accept newsprint, office paper, mail and magazines in our paper bin at the recycling center," said Brooks. "We cannot accept paperboard materials including such items as cereal boxes, corrugated cardboard, brown paper bags or anything that doesn't have a white paper base." The recycling center recently announced the temporary suspension of glass and plastics due to the downturn in the market of recyclable materials. Dawson County is committed to serving our citizens that recycle. Alternative solutions are currently being reviewed and the suspension of certain materials is expected to be only short-term. Fortunately for the recycling citizens of Dawson County, the Dawson County Board of Commissioners will be voting on a new recycling agreement with Community Waste Systems. "We've been working on this project for a while now," said County Manager Kevin Tanner. "It just sort of worked out that we were prepared to bring it to the Board now." The agreement that the Board will be voting on would provide citizens a single stream recycling program where all recyclable material can be mixed together in a compactor and no separation would be needed. The proposal estimates that the County will spend $38,000 on recycling in 2009. The agreement with Community Waste Systems would allow the County to recycle at no cost other than the initial cost of the compactor, at $18,500, and maintenance. This program would allow for the collection of aluminum and steel cans, plastics number one through number seven, plastic grocery bags, glass bottles and jars, newspaper, magazines, junk mail, office paper and cardboard on a weekly basis. Under this program these items will not be available for recycling: food, food contaminated paper, hard cover books, photos, tissue paper, paper towels or toilet paper, polystyrene (Styrofoam), window glass or mirrors, ceramics, light bulbs, cell phones, electronic devices or computer monitors and parts. |
