Yes, it’s true! The Recycling District will be opening a new recycling center in Lizton this spring. You may be wondering why it’s necessary (though, if you’ve used the current Lizton Recycling Drop-off Center you probably recognize that there is a lot of room for improvement…).
The overarching reason why we’re doing this is that we can’t continue to operate the Lizton Recycling Drop-off Center as we have for years and expect better results. More specifically, here are the reasons why the Recycling District has made the investment in relocating and upgrading the recycling center:
Misuse and Abuse
If you’ve used the recycling center yourself, you’ve probably seen it: cardboard boxes that haven’t been flattened, recyclables in bags, material left on the
ground or on top of the recycling bins, Styrofoam, furniture, trash, electronics, tires, mattresses, etc. Since the center is open 24/7, we cannot monitor the activity there and some choose to ignore the rules.
Those of you that follow the rules and use the center as it’s supposed to be used deserve better. The Town of Lizton and the center’s neighbors deserve better. And, the recycling companies that ultimately sort everything in the recycling bins deserve better.
More Volume & Higher Costs
In 2010, 523 tons of recyclables were collected at the Lizton Recycling Drop-off Center. In 2020, our busiest year ever at the center, that figure had more than doubled to 1,196 tons! That growth is exciting, but it also means that the recycling boxes need to be exchanged more frequently. And, have you noticed the price of fuel? And insurance? And labor? And utilities? Increasing the number of exchanges and the rising cost of each exchange has caused the Recycling District’s costs to increase considerably. In 2010, the District paid $43,600 to provide the Lizton Recycling Drop-off Center; in 2022, that cost was over $86,500!
The new recycling center will utilize compactors which will greatly reduce the cost of servicing the recycling boxes.
Better Material
Contamination is anything introduced into a recycling program that doesn’t belong in that program. And, it’s the biggest threat to the longevity of any recycling program. Frequent contaminants at the current Lizton Recycling Drop-off Center are Styrofoam, plastic bags, food waste, and drinking straws. Yes, some of these items are recyclable but they are not recyclable in that particular program. Plastic bags are an excellent example. They are very recyclable if they’re taken back to the grocery store or big box retailer where they’re collected and recycled separately. Plastic bags that are not recycled via a store takeback program get tangled in the machines that sort paper, bottles, cans, and cardboard. Ultimately, those bags become trash!
Users of the new recycling center can expect to have their recyclables inspected and will need to separate some of their materials. Glass bottles and jars will have their own collection point as will corrugated cardboard.
We’re working hard toward getting the new recycling center opened up. We understand that this will be a significant change for those of you that use the current recycling center often but are excited about the improved experience we’ll all have at the new location. In the meantime, stay tuned for more information about how and when the new center will operate, what will be accepted and how to prepare your recyclables and more!
