County sending recyclables to La Crosse
Regular aluminum and cardboard still recycled
Posted: 2/17/04
By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter
Houston businesses are finding that they canít handle recyclable materials the same way they have in the past.
Houston County environmental supervisor Rick Frank updated commissioners Tuesday, Feb. 10, on the transition of hauling its recyclables from Houston County to La Crosse Waste Management for recycling.
Houston County signed a contract in December with La Crosse Waste Management to handle its recyclable waste. Nick Nicholsí position of recycling coordinator was also cut at the end of January.
Budget constraints and a dwindling market for recyclable materials caused the county to look at more cost-effective ways of handling its recyclables. The county will see a $50,000-70,000 savings this year due to the change.
The change may seem sudden to some because Nicholsí position was cut at the end of January and by the first week of February trucks were hauling recyclables to La Crosse.
Businesses in Houston were accustomed to placing their recyclables into a container in a small building at the recycling center. Due to more containers being needed to haul recyclables to La Crosse, the storage area was closed and new arrangements are being made to accommodate businesses. ìWeíre working to have it dropped off on a scheduled day,î said Frank.
Commissioner Larry Graf, who has handled some of the complaints, praised the businesses for their patience. ìWe have been able to work through it. I applaud them for hanging in there.î
Some residents have also been accustomed to dropping off their recyclables at the center. However, Frank pointed out that curbside collection and drop sites are available to use for recyclables.
Along with the change, rumors abounded. ìEverybody thought we were closing the drop sites. A lot thought the county would completely get out of recycling,î said Frank.
Because of the volume of calls, the county put an ad in the paper explaining that the drop sites are still in use. They also described that recyclables are now sorted two ways: fiber and rigid.
Fiber products include newspaper, cardboard, magazines and high grade paper. Rigid products include plastic glass, tin, aluminum.
He noted, however, that the recycling center is still accepting aluminum and cardboard to process and sell.
Frank noted that some people think the recycling center will shut down completely. That has not yet been determined. Although commissioner Kevin Kelleher said, ìWe havenít closed it yet, but we might be.î
The county contracts with Woodland Industries for three individuals to haul the recyclables from the different cities in the county to La Crosse. In 2003, there were also two Woodland Industries clients who worked at the recycling center. Because there is not as much of a need, only one client now works at the center.
Frank said they are trying to be as efficient as possible. ìPeople sometimes hate change, but there is only so many dollars we have to work with,î he said.
In related news, Frank noted that the cost of taking appliances has increased by $1.50. ìI called around at different places and thatís the going rate.î
The fluorescent bulb collection sponsored by Tri-County Electric, Xcel Energy and the cities of Spring Grove, Caledonia and Eitzen has been scheduled for sometime in April. An exact date has not yet been determined.
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