Reduce, reuse, and recycle. All of us have heard this phrase for years. Richland Opportunities, Inc., a private nonprofit which supports adults with developmental disabilities, has taken recycling very seriously. Over the last 25 years, ROI has processed over 10 million pounds of cans, newspapers, and cardboard, thereby reducing stress on the city garbage crews and saving volume in the county landfill. This year ROI has seen a 28% increase in the amount of material recycled and has recycled over 686,300 pounds of cardboard, newspaper, magazines, aluminum cans, office paper, and plastic bottles and jars.
ROI’s director, Cindy Eleson, stated, “The amount is amazing and is primarily due to the increase in cardboard.” ROI collects cardboard from 61 businesses and makes 74 stops weekly. “Our ability to handle the increased cardboard volume is due to the new compacting garbage truck. We are grateful to the community and businesses for their support in raising the funds for the truck.” ROI’s recycling efforts are assisted by both the county and city, and more recently by businesses.
Many people believe that ROI makes money on the sale of recyclables. It does not. ROI has made a profit once in 25 years and ROI has subsidized the recycling program up to $13,000 per year. Because of this loss, the City and County were approached for financial aid about 6 years ago. The benefits for the city include reducing the time to collect and compact cardboard, and recycling saves the county landfill. The $12,000 donated by these two entities has allowed ROI to almost break even in its recycling program. Eleson explained that 2,000 pounds of cardboard sell for about $70 and 2,000 pounds of newspaper sell for $35. The amount per ton does not include shipping costs and the processed material does not pay for the expenses incurred to recycle. However, the financial assistance by the city and county does keep ROI from having to cease the program. In the past few months, ROI has asked the businesses for a voluntary donation to the cardboard program. It costs over $5 for every stop that ROI makes to pick up a businesses’ cardboard. Cindy Eleson commented “Let’s face it. If ROI adopted a business model, we would have been out of the recycling within two years of starting the program. ROI’s board and people have committed to recycling, but we need the community’s assistance. That is why the City and County were approached and without their help, we would have had to discontinue recycling. It is ROI’s goal to produce our own income, and not be reliant on the city or the county. Thus we are asking for support from our cardboard customers. About one half of the businesses are now paying for the cost of their cardboard pick up. Since ROI does not make a profit on recycling, we have not been able to build our infrastructure. Most of the recycling is completed manually. Our people handle 13,250 pounds of material each week, and we need to do this in a safe manner. ”
Building infrastructure is a high priority, but is difficult when income is not generated. This month, ROI built a dock with the help of a PPL grant, the ROI Foundation and other contributors. The dock allows the employees to use carts for loading newspaper stacks instead of hand loading from the ground and using a step ladder for access into a trailer. With the increase in volume, ROI will need to automate as much as possible. The next goal according to Eleson is to get a horizontal baler. The price tag for a used horizontal baler is about $100,000 “This would allow ROI to process more material and allow us to expand the current list of recyclables.”
Currently ROI has seven collection areas in the county. The sheds in Sidney are located at ShopKo (Pamida), IGA, Johnson’s Hardware and Farm & Home. The community is invited to drop off newspaper and magazines, and aluminum cans in these sheds. These same items can be dropped off at collection sheds in Fairview on Loaf and Jug’s property, in Savage at Valley Fuel and Supply and in Lambert at the school. On ROI’s property, 1100 Silurian Lane, the community can drop off cardboard, newspapers and magazines, aluminum cans and PETE #1 bottles. This is the only drop where plastics are taken. PETE #1 is usually clear plastic like pop bottles and examples are dishwashing soap bottles, vegetable oil bottles and peanut butter jars. Eleson remarked that people are dropping off #2-7 plastic which includes milk jugs, laundry soap jugs and hair product bottles. “ROI does not recycle #2-7 plastic on a daily basis and these bottles and jars are only taken during Trashy Tuesdays along with office paper. Trashy Tuesday is the third Tuesday of the third month with the next event date of October 16th. ROI does not have the ability to take these extra items on a daily basis at this time. We keep making improvements to ensure that recycling options are added for the community’s benefit. Recycling is one of the keys to saving both the city and county’s infrastructure, but growth for recycling requires investment by all stakeholders.” If you have questions about what ROI recycles, wish to donate to the program, or have ideas about recycling, please call 488-3341 and talk with Cindy Eleson.
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