Jay County Solid Waste Management District has launched a new cardboard recycling program in addition to the onsite shredding it began offering in the spring. District director and director George McGinnis explained that the cost of hauling recycling trailers is continuing to go up, with an estimated increase of nearly 10% in the first year of the new contract when it goes into effect next year. “So we started trying to figure out a way that we could cut our expenses,” said McGinnis. “We’re really limited right now with the funding that we have and the programs that we can afford to do.”
As part of that process, he began tracking how much of the material that goes into recycling trailers stationed in Portland, Dunkirk, Redkey, Pennville, Bryant and Salamonie was cardboard. The average, he found, was 50%. Figuring that keeping that cardboard out of the trailers could save money on both hauling ($225-plus per trailer) and recycling ($50 per ton) the solid waste management district sought out a grant. It was awarded $48,528 in funding through Indiana Department of Environmental Management for a Bramidan bailer, Kubota skid loader and advertising for the new service. The new equipment arrived in early July and McGinnis is close to getting his first full bale, which will weigh more than 1,100 to 1,200 pounds.
Jay County residents and businesses can bring their corrugated cardboard — it must be clean and dry, with no plastics or styrofoam packaging — to the solid waste management district office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. McGinnis asks that those bringing cardboard call head at (260) 729-5071 to ensure that he will be available. Once he has eight bales, New-Indy Containerboard of Hartford City will purchase the cardboard for resale at $15/ton less than market value. So, instead of paying to haul, the district will be selling it for a slight profit.