FAYETTEVILLE -- The city will suspend its curbside recycling program and ask residents to bring their recyclable materials to extra stations set up around the city.
The suspension will begin Monday and remain in place until further notice. The measure is intended to limit workers' potential exposure to covid-19 because the program requires hand sorting of recyclables, according to a city news release. It is unknown how long covid-19 can remain viable on surfaces, the release states.
Residential trash and yard waste collection will remain unchanged.
The city's recycling program for apartment buildings also will be suspended. The bins at those locations will be removed to avoid trash accumulation, according to the release.
The city will expand dropoff services for recyclable materials. The sites will be open 24 hours a day beginning Monday:
• Happy Hollow Recycling Dropoff at 1420 S. Happy Hollow Road
• Marion Orton Recycling Dropoff at 735 W. North St.
• Boys and Girls Club at 560 N. Rupple Road
• Lokomotion Family Fun Park at 4520 N. College Ave.
• Gary Hampton Field at 2790 N. Salem Road
• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 2925 Old Missouri Road
Placing recyclable items in the correct collection containers as labeled by material type is crucial, the release states. Proper sorting on the front end will keep loads free from contamination so they will not be rejected by recycling mills, according to the release.
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Charges for extra curbside trash also will be suspended because of an anticipated jump in volume.
Collection of automated recycling services will continue and will not be affected. That includes commercial cardboard dumpsters, commercial paper dumpsters, glass carts and food waste carts. The $5 charged to businesses that participate in the curbside recycling collection in the 18-gallon bins with black domed lids will be waived until the service is reinstated, the release states.
The move runs counter to the city's goals to reduce waste going to the landfill, according to the news release.
"While we understand that the suspension of the curbside recycling program will alter residential and business efforts to help the city reduce waste going to the landfill, we must implement every action practical to limit community spread and protect city workers from covid-19," the release states.
NW News on 03/20/2020