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Early Returns Positive on Glass Recycling Program Quincy Herald Whig Today's Date --May 30, 2008 By EDWARD HUSARHerald-Whig Staff Writer Glass recycling has been a big hit with Quincy residents. Patrons dropped off between 9,000 and 10,000 pounds of glass in the first two weeks since Quincy Recycle started allowing residents to bring in glass on Saturday mornings at its Sixth and State location, according to General Manager Rob Albsmeyer. "The first week it trickled in," he said. "Then last week it really took off. They really poured it on." The glass recycling program started May 17 after Quincy Recycle agreed to work with the city by allowing local residents to drop off glass at no charge. The city stopped allowing residents to put glass in their orange recycling containers in November 2000 after the market for recycled glass dried up. Quincy residents since could only dispose of glass by placing it in their household trash, which requires putting 50-cent stickers on plastic garbage bags for curbside collection. Over the years many residents have asked city officials to implement some sort of glass recycling program, so the new recycling effort was finally launched. So far, it's gone well. Albsmeyer said many people have expressed gratitude for the opportunity to recycle their glass. "We've gotten a lot of people come in just to say thank you for the service," he said. "I think a lot of people really have a need for this." Clear, brown and green glass bottles and jars may be dropped off from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays only. Participants are asked to sort their glass by color and place it in the appropriate bins. Albsmeyer said the facility will not accept window glass, mirror glass, lights bulbs, ceramic glass or similar products. Quincy officials remind residents that glass still may not be placed in curbside recycling containers. Ken Cantrell, director of administrative services, said the city wants to encourage residents to use the new glass-drop off service because it will help reduce the amount of trash people must throw away. It will also lessen the burden on local landfills. "We want to keep promoting recycling," Cantrell said. "Sixth and State (Quincy Recycle) has really worked with the city to come up with innovative ideas that won't cost the city. That's my main focus," he added. "We're spending $450,000 a year on our curbside recycling, and I don't want to increase any costs." Mike Beebe, director of the city's Central Services Department, said he, too, thinks the glass recycling program is a good thing. "It's taking all this glass out of our household waste," he said. "If people put that glass in our garbage, it adds weight and costs us more to get rid of it at the landfill. So with this green movement, I think this is a step in the right direction." Albsmeyer said his company isn't making any money on the glass recycling operation, which involves shipping the material to a recycling center in St. Louis or Chicago. "What we sell it for won't pay for our freight to get it down there. So we're basically doing it as a service to the city," he said. Glass is accepted on Saturdays only because that's the one day commercial customers don't use Quincy Recycle as much. However, Albsmeyer said efforts are under way to find an alternative drop-off site that's less busy and more "user friendly." "Once we get to where it's segregated from our commercial traffic, then we can open it up to all week long. But for now, because of the traffic situation here, we have to limit it to Saturdays only." -- ehusar@whig.com/221-3378 For More Information Contact: |
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