A successful recycling forum took place at the Ardmore Convention Center last week with a full house present. Experts in the field of recycling provided an informative question-and-answer session.
Acting City Manager J.D. Spohn was present and participated in the panel discussion.
During the question-and-answer session, Heather Schmuki, with Waste Management, was asked about the percentage of contamination the facility receives from Ardmore recycling. She said sometimes it is as high as 25 percent. Further questioned as to “what the public needs to know,” she suggested no recyclables be placed in black plastic bags. Schmuki said Waste Management immediately places black bags in with other contaminated items as a precaution, in case they contain trash and no recyclable materials. Her comment was “It is just too costly for WM to take the time to rip open the bag and see if it really contains recycled items, or is it trash?”
Schmuki suggested recyclables be tossed into the trailer individually or put in paper bags for paper products.
“This will bring down the cost of tipping fees,” she said. “Recycling tip fees are costs associated with dumping and sorting recycle materials at an MRF (material recovery facility) or recycling facility where these materials are sorted and baled before being sent to end users.”
The City of Ardmore has one recycling trailer that is hauled to Waste Management in Oklahoma City each month. The trailer is located at Operation Pride, 317 Carol Brown Blvd. When recyclables are hauled to Oklahoma City, Ardmore is left without a trailer, usually one or two days per month. No trailer is available on Sunday or holidays.
Michelin has provided residents in Ardmore drop-off recycling at the MTC/Credit Union located at 2001 12th Ave. N.W. This trailer is available to citizens 24/7 on a well-lighted, clean, concreted area. Due to extremely heavy usage, Michelin’s recycling trailer is hauled to Oklahoma City two to three times per week. A second trailer has been leased, which means one is always available.
All residents are encouraged to participate in a recycling survey prepared by the Ardmore Beautification Council recycling committee in partnership with the City of Ardmore.
Those who want their opinions included link should log on to forabc.org to answer the 10-question survey.
This short survey is a way for local officials to learn what local citizens really want in recycling. The survey will be online through Dec. 31.
Those with questions can call the Ardmore Beautification Council at (580) 223-2230.
