By Toddy Perryman, Ravalli County Recycling volunteer coordinator
For the past two years or so, the non-profit organization Ravalli County Recycling (RCR) has been providing recycling services to Ravalli County residents. This service has been provided at no cost to either the users or the county government.
The most important aspect of the RCR operation has been the enthusiastic support of a small group of volunteers who have shown up every week since the beginning, working to direct the efficient transformation of recyclable rubbish into usable new items in all kinds of weather, rain, shine, snow, and smoke. Since almost all of the work is done by volunteers, we are more likely to break even financially and continue to provide this service . Of course, we are always happy if people are willing to donate cash to help fund the operation or, more importantly, their time as volunteers.
The drop-off location is 131 Old Corvallis Road, across from the Fairgrounds. We are open from 2:30 to 5:00 (or dusk) on Monday afternoons and from 9:00 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. We are planning to have drop bins at some locations around the area in the near future, so they will be available all the time.
A huge proportion of our trash is paper products, like junk mail, magazines, and newspapers. These are all recyclable. Cardboard boxes and pasteboard (cereal, etc.) boxes also can be recycled. Many plastic products, like milk jugs and water bottles are also recyclable. These are also a big component of the volume of most people’s trash. Almost all metals are recyclable, especially ‘tin’ cans and aluminum cans. Look for our posters at your local stores and you will see how many things you are presently throwing away that can be recycled. Or stop by our drop-off location to get a copy.
Please consider recycling your waste products, as the greater volume and weight of material we gather, the more likely we will be to break even and be able to continue to provide this important service to the community. Taking care of our environment is something that I think everyone who lives in this beautiful valley can be in favor of doing.
Please give me a call at 961-4959 if you are interested in helping out.