Marion recycling program hits a snag

Marion recycling program hits a snag

City has issue with center’s no- bag policy

news@theeveningtimes.com

Marion’s efforts to recycle may have hit a snag.

Mayor Frank Fogleman informed the city’s street and drainage committee that he was notified that the company where the city takes its recyclable to, no longer will accept bagged items and could result in an extra cost to the city.

“I got word that the people who charge us for bringing the stuff don’t want it bagged because the bags gum up their equipment,” Fogleman said. “I don’t know how we are going to recycle.”

Last year, Marion was awarded a $20,000 grant by Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to start a recycling program.

The city purchased special blue bags for residents to put recyclable materials in and set out by the curb for pick up.

A separate city crew has been collecting the bags and taking them to a recycling facility in Memphis.

The program has continued to grow and the city has been hauling about 11 to 12 tons of recyclable materials a month.

The city also has a trailer which was given to them by East Arkansas Planning and Development District and is parked at the county courthouse to collect unwanted electronic devices.

Fogleman said the recycling program is relatively popular in Marion.

“It is popular with some people,” Fogleman said. “I would estimate 10 to 15 percent of our citizens recycle.”

Fogleman said it will be an extra expense on the city if they can’t bag the material because the city will have to use their labor to un-bag it.

“I understand Wynne is struggling with this, too,” Fogleman said. “They have a roll-off truck but have to use their labor to take it out of the bag and take it to the same place we take ours to.

So there is a dark cloud on the horizon.”

It would cost the city about $75 apiece to buy separate recycling containers if they can’t bag the material, according to Fogleman. “Now you would have to drive every street for sure looking for those,” Fogleman said. “Our guys pretty much know now which houses on which streets recycle. If they don’t see any blue bags, they don’t turn down those streets or go down those coves.”

Fogleman said he can’t see justifying any additional costs to keep the program going.

“I guess where I am going with this is, we can expect to see more cost,” Fogleman said. “I don’t see how we can back up on recycling. This is on the horizon and we will have to deal with this.”

By Mark Randall