Meeker residents were surprised, and some disappointed, by the announcement Meeker’s free recycling drop-off program was coming to a close at the end of 2022.
Since it’s community-driven inception in the late 1990s, Meeker’s recycling program has gone through a number of changes and challenges. For many years, the Town of Meeker operated the recycling program as part of its annual budget, maintaining staff, constructing a new building for recycling at the end of Third Street and purchasing a baler.
The Third Street location had its own problems over the years, from illegal dumping to keeping recyclables from blowing away. The Town contracted with Overton Recycling in the late-2010s to take over the day-to-day operations of the program and save the town some money. Costs for the recycling program in 2015 were $66,520. In 2016 the proposed budget included $40,000 for contracted services and $3,800 for electricity and trash.
In 2019, as the Town was in discussion about potential improvements for the Third Street property and expanding river access, the entire recycling program was moved to Overton’s trash hauling location on County Rd. 15. The Town of Meeker continued to subsidize the program, with the intention to reduce the amount of the contract each year until the program could be self-sustaining. By 2022, the Town budgeted $7,500 for the recycling contract, coming back late in the year to pass a supplemental budget to add another $7,500 to the contract after Overton told the board he was losing money. Increased prices for diesel to haul recyclables to Eagle, reduced revenue from recycled materials, the town’s reduced payment, and cuts to a state grant program limiting what the state considers recyclable — steel and batteries no longer count, for example — have all contributed to a problem that’s not just local.
In January 2018, China implemented its “National Sword” policy that severely limited what recyclables they would accept. China had previously been the world’s largest importer of recyclables. The new policy slowed the export of most recyclables to a snail’s pace, curtailing community recycling programs around the globe. Instead of getting paid for recyclables, contractors found themselves having to pay “tipping fees” to get rid of materials as demand disappeared and supplies increased.
That’s been the case for Overton, as well. “We used to at least break even on plastics, now we pay a tipping fee,” he said.
Overton believes the state will eventually make recycling a law, the way it is in some municipalities, and residents will pay for the service up front, the same way they pay for their trash service.
For Meeker residents, who’ve long enjoyed the ease and convenience of free recycling, change has come. Town Administrator Mandi Etheridge said the town board would like to see the program continue, but at this time no plans have been made. Overton estimates the total annual cost of running the recycling program at $50-55,000.
Overton Recycling will still take steel, appliances, batteries and electronics. There’s a fee for dropping off refrigerators, and electronics are charged by the pound. Cardboard, paper, plastic and glass recycling are no longer available. For questions about what can still be dropped off and when, call 970-878-4444
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
