Virginia Watters, Recycling Center volunteer, explains that only clear plastic milk jugs should be strung together. All jugs should be rinsed and lids removed to make it easier for staff to tolerate baling the jugs. White and colored milk jugs are still able to be recycled, but should not be strung with the empty, clear milk jugs.
Clinton Watters, Recycling Center staff, asks that people who use the Center sort their recyclables. When Watters bales the tin cans, he often finds aluminum cans in them. He also asks that people leave tin cans in sacks to make the cans easy to transport to the baler.
Clinton Watters, Recycling Center staff, sorts and saves large pieces of cardboard to place on each side of plastic, aluminum or tin can bales. Behind him are bales of cardboard that have been moved to the Old County Fairbarn where one of the community's balers is housed. ALL CARDBOARD should be taken to the BROADUS IGA for the IGA staff to bale.
By PR Extension Service
"It's truly been a great community success story of how together we can work to solve a problem," explained Karen Amende, one of the founding members of the Powder River Recyclers, the group that worked to establish the Recycling Center over 25 years ago. The Recycling Center was established over 25 years ago when the Town of Broadus, Powder River County and local businesses and community volunteers came together to extend the life of the County landfill.
A few reminders can make recycling a better experience for the people who work or volunteer at the Center, and the people who recycle.
"Please clean the milk jugs, the spoiled milk left in jugs smells bad," emphasized Recycling Center staff, and separate 'white' plastic milk jugs from 'clear' plastic jugs (sometimes people string them together) and REMOVE lids, which prevents jugs from being baled properly."
Other Recycling Center reminders included:
* All CARDBOARD should be taken to the baler at the BROADUS IGA;
* Styrofoam should not be dropped off at the Center; and,
* Small appliances and household items can be dropped off, but NO furniture.
Items accepted at the Recycling Center are clear, plastic milk jugs, newspapers, magazines and tin cans. Small reusable household items and appliances that work can be dropped off at the Exchange Center located just inside the door.
Cans for Kids takes aluminum cans at the old County Fair Building located next to the Recycling Center. Community groups bale the aluminum cans and can request funds from Cans for Kids Coordinator, Sharon Billing.
When you look at what a new landfill cell costs ($750,000.00 to $1.0 million) and that the current landfill cell has a forecasted life of 12 to 15 years, it is great incentive to encourage people to recycle and to make recycling in Powder River County a more pleasant experience for county employees who manage the center, explained Rod Schaffer, County Commissioner. For more information, contact the MSU Extension Office-Powder River County at 436-2424.
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