Local News

Recyclable Material Piles Up In Madras

MADRAS, OR -- Madras officials are trying to figure out what to do with 200 tons of baled recyclables, now that China won't take it. With such a backlog and an exhausted recyclables market, Madras Sanitary Service President Melanie Widmer is asking the City Council to allow her company to dump the recyclables in a landfill, "The best option, unfortunately, at this point, is to dispose of the materials that we currently have." She tells KBND News it's a one-time request, "Just for the backlog that we have. And then after that, we will continue to take them to processors."

 

Local Recycling Bins Under Scrutiny

 

The DEQ allows this practice, but Widmer says she only wants to do this once, "It's kind of a worst-case scenario, our last option. We never have thrown away recycling before, and we hope not to have to do it again in the future." Local recycling centers will take it but, "They just are charging us to accept the material right now because they may, in some cases, have to pay to get rid of that material." And, she says, those inside the Madras city limits will pay 3% more, "We will be implementing a rate increase that will offset the additional cost of the recycling program, going forward." 

 

City Council meet August 28 to and officially decide whether to allow the dumping of recyclables, and weigh in on Madras Sanitary's future options.
 
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