Recycling’s
future in doubt
County will retain costs but lose payoff
Staff writer
Whether the county will continue to recycle is in doubt now that commissioners have learned the county is no longer being paid for goods recycled.
Refuse director Bud Druse told commissioners that Waste Connections, the South Hutchinson company that accepts paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum and steel cans, and plastic items recycled by county residents has notified him it won’t be paying for such items.
“They have stopped reimbursement for everybody,” Druse said. “I have looked into it and talked to the guy, and he said as soon as prices go back up, they’ll start reimbursing again.”
Druse said he would rather continue recycling than pay $40 per ton to dump the items in a landfill at El Dorado.
But commissioner Randy Dallke said the county had to consider its cost in hauling recyclables, the cost of bins to collect recyclable material, and other costs associated with recycling and see how expenses compared to taking recyclables to a landfill.
Druse said he will gather information and bring it back to commissioners for a decision.
Druse said the county made a profit on its recycling program, clearing $11,000 to $12,000 annually a year ago. At that time, Waste Connections paid an average of $64 per ton for recyclable goods.
Tipping fees at the landfill used by the county have risen from $36 per ton to $40 per ton during that time.