A recycling center that’s operated in South Hutchinson for a quarter-century, helping the environment by diverting trash from the county landfill into markets for reuse, has managed to keep up with the times. Earlier this year Stutzman Refuse Disposal added robotics to part of its sorting line in the Stuztman Recycling Center in response to industry demands for higher sorting purity.
Another local recycling plant with an even longer history in Hutchinson also continues expanding, taking in more paper and cardboard waste every year and turning out dozens of products. But while plant upgrades have made it easier in many ways for residents to do their part in reducing trash and waste, continuous changes in packaging and some major shifts in recycling markets are offering their own challenges to consumers and suppliers alike in figuring out how to effectively recycle.
The first step in helping the environment, said Keith Shaw, the manager of Stutzman Recycling, is to participate. Stutzman offers curbside single-stream recycling at no additional cost to any resident using its trash service, which is billed through the city of Hutchinson utility department. Reno County’s other primary trash service, Nisly Brothers, also offers recycling pickup. Single-stream means all the materials go in a single cart picked up curbside, with no sorting required. In Hutchinson, recycling pick up is twice a month and in rural areas, monthly. Stutzman Refuse has operated a recycling plant in South Hutchinson for 26 years. It was acquired by Waste Connections 12 years ago along with the local trash service.