Input for solving North Platte's recycling problems

Trash in all its many forms is not just a North Platte problem. It is a nationwide problem. But folks in North Platte met Tuesday at the 1st State Bank Conference Room at 410 Rodeo Road from 12:00 to 1:00 PM to begin a discussion on the problems with the current system.

The biggest problem is the very important need to have materials sorted, and how that can most efficiently be done.

North Platte currently has two systems for collecting recyclable materials. They are curbside and drop-off programs.

First is the curbside program. This is where the City of North Platte picks up those recyclable items from special "yellow lid" bins (provided by the city for a small fee each month). Those items are picked up twice a month. Since 2011 the materials have been taken to Certified Bailing Services where they are baled and shipped to Lincoln or Omaha to First Star Fiber where they are unbaled, sorted and marketed. But First Star Fiber is no longer accepting single-stream (non-sorted) bales. This is a service which the city has been paying for.

Second is the drop off site program. There are seven drop off sites at locations around North Platte. The bins are picked up weekly and delivered to ABC Recycling in North Platte. Materials are sorted, bailed and marketed through ABC Recycling. The bins and service for the bins are paid for by the city.

Sorting has become a big problem for ABC Recycling, according to owner Pamela Pacheco. She says that while most of the items in the bins are recyclable, seldom do people get all of the items into the correct bins. For example, plastic must be sorted from paper, and paper from cardboard, in order to market these materials. If more man-power is required to do this, there is a loss in profits.

The meeting was designed to start a conversation about a solution to the recycling problems. Also to address more efficient ways to do the job. Weighing out pros and cons concerning time going up and down allies to collect the items, and if the curbside bins were discontinued, would people make the effort to take items to the drop off sites? Or would the landfill see an increase in volume?

The conversations included looking at ideas from other communities to find the right answer for North Platte. Some of the possible ideas included: going to presorted drop off only, creating a dual-stream curbside service, putting bans on certain items, charging residents for the service, privatizing recycling services, or implementing a "Pay to throw" program, where residents would only pay for the trash they actually throw away.

Another meeting will be held in early October. The date for that meeting will be announced.