The Ravalli County Recycling (RCR) board of directors voted to make changes to their current practices as a result of falling prices for recyclables. Prices for cardboard and other recycled paper have dropped and may not improve until new recycled paper mills are opened in the U.S. RCR is losing money on most material it accepts at present and cannot sustain operating at a loss. The board made two difficult decisions on June 25th to begin restructuring in order to find a way to remain open.
Ravalli County Recycling will no longer buy aluminum cans on Saturdays. Recyclers may still donate them. Aluminum cans are profitable but paying clients for the cans narrows the margin. Modern Recycling, just down the road from RCR, will still buy aluminum cans Tuesday-Saturday. RCR’s mission includes encouraging recycling in the valley and keeping recyclable material out of the landfill. The board feels that both of those conditions will still be met even with this change.
On October 1, 2019, Ravalli County Recycling will suspend residential pickup of recyclables. Curbside pickup has not been profitable for some time but RCR has continued the service because Bitterroot residents really want to recycle. It has been a public service. However, the cost of residential pickup is larger than fees collected. Customers will receive notification in their quarterly bills. A current board member who pays for this service at her home said, “I don’t think raising fees will solve the problem. Current fee levels are already high.” Employee wages, gas prices, insurance costs, and vehicle upkeep and repairs all contributed to the board’s decision to suspend curbside service.
The board is considering other changes in the future. Ravalli County Recycling is currently located at 759 Highway 93, north of Hamilton. This property is for sale. When it sells RCR will have just 60 days to move. The board decided in May that they needed to be proactive and relocate. So far, no alternative sites have been found. The move, when it happens, will likely include further shrinking of services at a smaller location. This restructuring could mean less time worrying about the financial business of recycling and more time devoted to educational outreach.
Ravalli County Recycling has been offering recycling opportunities for nine years. These are hard decisions for a group dedicated to the issue of how to responsibly deal with human generated waste in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. The board will continue to keep the public informed about changes. If you want to comment or have ideas, you may contact Janice Lee, RCR board president, at janice.lee@ravallirecycling.org or visit RCR’s Facebook page.