Cutline: Recycling Assistant Keith Cameron takes a couple bags out of Keep Chadron Beautiful’s enclosed trailer Thursday, Aug. 27. Keep Alliance Beautiful processes recyclables from the monthly collection event in Chadron. The two Keep America Beautiful affiliates continue to partner to offer recycling in Northwest Nebraska.
A few days ago a neighbor of mine was the first to sign up for the KAB, City of Alliance pilot curbside program. As others debate the merits of recycling for a rebate, a correction from last week’s column (“KAB, City of Alliance Partner To Save Recyclers a Little Green”): the email address was incomplete. It should have read keepalliancebeautiful@gmail.com.
As I write this week I am looking forward to presenting the joint program to the Alliance City Council at their Sept. 1 meeting. Among the questions I expect are: won’t it be difficult to handle the extra volume, and how much difference can it make, don’t you have people there sorting anyway? Both are fair concerns when budgeting extra to promote recycling.
This is not the first time Keep Alliance Beautiful has considered a change with the potential to significantly increase the volume handled by our facility. A few years ago a Chadron State College student was adamant about resuming recycling in Chadron. That service had disappeared for the public during the Pandemic. Then KAB Executive Director Kathy Worley and her Keep Chadron Beautiful (KChB) counterpart met with the student then the public at a well-attended town hall style meeting. Chadron had no recycling center or other facility to process material for shipment so KAB agreed to work out an arrangement where all their recyclables would be brought to us.
The key to making it work was the large number of volunteers in Chadron and ironing out a plan that would work for everyone. We knew taking on another community’s unsorted material would tax our system and workforce. So, on a monthly basis, KChB’s director and/or recycling manager, board members and other volunteers gather for a community recycling event. We also attend with a trailer while they fill two. Most people come with their loads sorted. If not, the crew sorts everything into the appropriate container for efficient processing. Although this amount may be comparable to 50 recyclers totally filling their bags under the pilot program, KAB also bales two full trailer loads of cardboard that Chadron brings down most weeks.
Residents served by Keep Charon Beautiful have been happy to sort what they recycle in order to maintain that service. Without it diehards drove to Alliance (several still do) or Rapid City.
As to the fact that we already employ people to sort that is true. However, they are not another layer picking through material primarily handled by machines. Our dedicated team at the north end of the building goes through bags by hand, at times a dirty job. Green bags from the new route could be dumped where they go in less than a quarter of the time spent on bags that may also be arranged by category or contain a jumble of paper, bottles and cans. Again, Chadron’s enclosed trailer this week took less than a third of the time of our 14-container plastics trailer in the bay earlier that morning.
Recycling is a habit. Pick that up then sorting can become a habit. A little time spent putting items in their respective bins/bags takes way less time than hauling it all down the recycling center. And – if you have it down pat for the new curbside opportunity – the initial investment comes back.
For information on the curbside pilot program call the KAB office at 762-1729 or email us at keepalliancebeautiful@gmail.com