Curbside recycling is back in Columbia, effective immediately, after city officials announced Tuesday that they had reached a temporary partnership with a Jefferson City waste management company.
Residents can expect new limitations on what can be placed in the blue recycling bags. Some items, including cardboard and many common plastic food containers, must still go to the landfill.
The city’s partnership with Federal Recycling and Waste Solutions comes after a tornado destroyed Columbia’s recycling facility on April 20. City crews have continued to collect the blue bags at curbside. However, until Tuesday, that recyclable waste was being sent to the landfill and disposed of alongside nonrecyclable items.
Erin Keys, who took over as the city’s Utilities director May 25, said feedback from residents made it clear that the recycling program needed to be a priority.
“I knew that our community valued recycling, but now I understand that it’s truly a passion,” she said Tuesday afternoon during a news conference.
Residents are asked to adjust to some new rules about what should and shouldn’t go to the curb on recycling days.
For example, the city will still collect cardboard and other fiber from curbsides. However, the fiber will continue to be diverted to the landfill. Plans on how to reestablish fiber sorting as part of the recycling program are still being discussed.
“Solid Waste Utility will continue toward recycling more materials. Future steps will include how we handle fiber and glass, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we evaluate the best paths,” Keys said.
The city is still working on a plan to get recycling equipment back up and running.
“We’ve removed the debris from the equipment, and much of the equipment is functional,” Keys said. “The next steps will be to make the equipment and the process operational.”
Items that are allowed in the blue bags include:
- Plastic bottles (such as soft drink, water or soda bottles)
- Plastic containers (such as detergent, milk or shampoo bottles)
- Aluminum beverage cans
- Metal food cans
Some materials that cannot be placed in the bags include:
- Glass bottles
- Glass jars
- Yogurt cups
- Clamshell produce containers
- Dairy product tubs
- Plastic takeout containers
- Styrofoam containers
- Packaging material
- Plastic bags
- Trash
Drop off centers
The city operates several recycling drop off centers that have been closed since the tornado. Those centers aren’t yet reopening.
City officials are working on a plan to eventually staff drop off centers to prevent the dumping of nonrecyclable material.
Short-term fix
The new partnership with the Jefferson City company is not under any type of contractual obligation, Assistant Director of Utilities Tom Ratermann said. The arrangement is intended to be temporary.
Two different companies from Jefferson City were in talks with Columbia, Ratermann said, “and this was the one that offered the best situation.”
