County continues to explore recycling options
Three vehicles, pay increases approved
Staff reporter
Marion County Commission continued Monday to discuss recycling options as a means to reduce the amount of solid waste hauled to a landfill.
It was determined that paper and cardboard would be the easiest types of recyclables to start a program.
According to Marion County Transfer Station Manager Rollin Schmidt, receivers of cardboard for recycling are paying $145-150 per ton.
The commission identified several businesses in the county that are recycling cardboard and others that could benefit from the program.
The "pay as you throw" concept also was discussed, which was the method that the previous transfer station owners used to collect for trash. This concept encouraged cities to recycle.
Commissioner Randy Dallke said the county needed to figure out a way to include rural residents in a recycling program. He asked Schmidt if Stutzman, the current hauler of recyclable materials in Hillsboro and Peabody, would be willing to pick up recyclables in other cities.
Schmidt responded that Stutzman would be interested but it comes down to the cost to collect.
Commissioner Dan Holub suggested the project could start small — collect only paper and cardboard — and then expand later on.
"Stutzman's program is about the simplest that I've seen," Dallke said. That program has two tiers of collection — paper and everything else.
More information will be gathered and presented at a later date.
In other business:
— Two new sports utility vehicles and a car were approved by the commission.
