County’s recycling programs going strong, see record use in 2016

County’s recycling programs going strong, see record use in 2016

Christmas pile- up leaves holiday- themed mess at Dumpsters

news@theeveningtimes.com

Recycling across the county continues to grow. In 2016 record recycling hauls by West Memphis, Marion and Crittenden County were recorded. The craze to reclaim, recover, reuse and reprocess helped overflow the bins at the County Courthouse over the Christmas weekend.

Judge Woody Wheeless noted the holiday pile in Marion where that city and the county park bins side by side. The popularity of recycling has picked up.

The frequency of hauling away the trailers from the East Arkansas Planning and Development District (EAPDD) has increased.

“When we first got them we were going a week and a half to two weeks before we’d have to pull them,” said Wheeless. “Now it’s every Monday morning.”

The County bin took in 26.87 tons in 2016.

“With the city trailer right next to ours, I assume they recycled pretty much the same amount,” said Wheeless.

The Public Works Department in West Memphis also reported record recycling for the year. The West Memphis program has shown an increase in each of the last three years. Recycling there started during 2014. The 2016 recycling weighed 21,000 pounds more than 2015.

“The first year we did not do it all year,” said Public Works Administrative Assistant Rhonda Standridge.

“In 2014 there was 117,000. So there has been a steady increase.”

West Memphis processed 84 tons of recyclable materials in 2016 and also experienced a big increase over Christmas Weekend. The Wonder City also has pair of EAPDD trailers in the south lot at City Hall.

“Our loads were about double the normal trailer weights at 1,200 and 1,000,” said Standridge.

Wheeless asked recyclers for cooperation after the crush of Christmas cardboard at the County.

“Please breakdown the boxes,” said Wheeless.

“People throw the whole box in the door and the void inside the box takes up a lot of space. We’d ask that recyclers breakdown the boxes. There is really no need to pile it up around the trailers. If they are full, Marion residents should leave the cardboard on the curb. The city will pick it up.”

By John Rech