Money allocated for Columbia recycling drop-offs to be used to bring materials to Jefferson City
Keriana Gamboa
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia Solid Waste Assistant Utilities Director Tom Ratermann is encouraging the public to listen to new guidelines a day after the city announced it would begin recycling some materials.
Columbia’s recycling trucks will collect some materials and bring them to Jefferson City. The effort is part of the city’s first major step toward restoring recycling services after a tornado destroyed Columbia’s recycling facilities earlier this year. The City of Columbia is working with Federal Recycling & Waste Solutions in Jefferson City to help restart recycling operations.
City officials say keeping contamination low is key to maintaining the partnership the Jefferson City location and could qualify Columbia for rebates based on material quality.
“That’s why we’re really encouraging people to not put glass in it, not to put three through seven in it, and not to put clamshells. We end up getting docked for it, and it reduces any potential rebate,” Ratermann said.
Blue bags recycling placed at the curb by residents will be picked up and transported back to Columbia’s landfill, where city staff prepare the materials for shipment.
Funding to bring the materials to the Jefferson City site is coming from money that was previously used to maintain recycling drop-off sites that are currently closed. A timetable for when the drop-offs could be reopened was not immediately available.
City officials say drivers make three to four trips a week to Jefferson City, once there are enough materials fill a tractor-trailer.
Items that can be recycled, according to a Monday press release, include plastic bottles, some plastic container (such as detergent, milk or shampoo bottles) and aluminum cans.
Prohibited materials include glass, yogurt cups, dairy product tubs, plastic clamshell produce contains, black plastics or takeout containers, Styrofoam containers, packaging materials, plastic bags and trash.
The City of Columbia Utilities spokesman Jason West gave insight into what happens to the bag after you leave it on the curb.
“We’ve cleaned out this building and used part of it for the blue bags to be deposited here,” West said. “I have a crew that will come in and open the blue bags and empty those contents and dispose of the blue plastic bags.”
Leah Christian, owner of The Clean Refill, a local zero-waste small business, applauded the city’s efforts, saying it’s a positive sign to see recycling returning, but wants to remind people that reusing is also an alternative.
“I’ve told a few people this morning about recycling coming back to Columbia , and people are pretty excited about having that option for sure. I would just recommend for everyone to remember that reducing and reusing are the two steps to do before you recycle,” Christian said.