Mitchell City Planner Neil Putnam discussed ideas for the city to promote recycling, along with explaining the impact China is having on recycling both locally and nationally. Part of the discussion also included the city’s existing contract with Aberdeen-based Dependable Sanitation, which expires Dec. 31 of this year. “Getting people to recycle right is the challenge,” Putnam said, noting that a greasy pizza box would be considered a contaminated item. “Perhaps it would be wise to get suggestions from our residents as to ideas they have in improving recycling, along with leading by example.”
The city entered into a contract with Dependable Sanitation in 2005, in which the city pays the sanitation company $23,800 per month. While a $4 recycling fee is mandatory for all Mitchell residents, participation is voluntary, which is unique compared to other South Dakota municipalities, Putnam said.
Dependable rents its building on the east side of town from the city for $10,000 annually. According to Putnam, China was the main purchaser of the United States’ recyclable items, but its recent policy to restrict plastic laundry bottles and other contaminated plastic items has caused a major issue in America’s recycling industry.
“Over the last few years, their standards for contamination are not possible for the United States to comply with,” Putnam said. “So the market value for these products has just plummeted, and landfills are filling up with those items.”
While there are many environmental advantages for recycling—such as reducing air pollution, protecting natural resources and saving landfill space—Putnam said the process is quite costly to operate. According to Putnam, there have been concerted efforts to promote recycling at the youth education levels, which he hopes to see continue in the future. “It would be wise to educate more people on what proper recycling is with the ongoing changes,” Putnam said.