Curbside pickup, stakeholder intent and expansion of the Ray Lovato Recycling Center (RLRC) were the main topics of discussion last week during a meeting of the Rock Springs City Council. Recycling Center Board President Devon Brubaker shared information with the Council about the current state of affairs at the recycling center, and also outlined several goals about how to handle the volume growth. Brubaker said the recycling center is no longer equipped to handle increased volume because of outdated equipment and facilities. He said all the bailing equipment is at least 20 years old and now requires expensive repairs to maintain.
Trash hauling, processing costs for recycling and processing locations differ significantly between Rock Springs and Green River. Green River residents pay more for waste hauling because Wyoming Waste Management (the city’s only provider) must pay a tip fee at the landfill to cover monthly and quarterly costs. Residential fees for waste management in Rock Springs come out of the individual’s property tax. Rock Springs residents can also choose between WWM and Peak Disposal for their services.
Green River currently offers curbside recycling pickup, and Brubaker said he’d like to see the service become available in Rock Springs in the near future. But Rock Springs residents don’t pay to recycle their materials because of an agreement with the Sweetwater County Solid Waste District which provides funding to RLRC. The cost of curbside pickup in Rock Springs is a component of an ordinance that the council will be debate in the next several months. Options include making the service mandatory thus charging residents a set fee for the service or an opt-in choice leaving the decision up to the individual.