BULLHEAD CITY — Recycling is returning to Bullhead City, for those willing to pay a price.
Recyclops, granted approval by the Bullhead City Council earlier this year, plans to launch curbside voluntary recycling later this month.
Derek Michaelis, head of strategic initiatives for the Utah-based company, notified Bullhead City Manager Toby Cotter of the starting dates on Monday.
“We are excited to begin service and look forward to many years of helping the greater Bullhead City area recycle,” Michaelis said in an email.
He said Recyclops will be launching recycling efforts in two phases; the first, for residents who have signed up and live north of North Oatman Road east of Highway 95 and north of Riverview Drive west of Highway 95, will begin Aug. 11.
For residents who have signed up and live south of those areas, the recycling program will begin Aug. 18.
Cost is $12 a month for basic service, which includes pickup every other week and includes plastic, aluminum, paper and cardboard. A $19-monthly service also includes once-monthly glass recycling.
Recycling bags are included.
Recyclops' business model uses independent contractors driving pickup trucks or SUVs to pick up residential recycling, instead of using large trash trucks or other bigger vehicles.
"Recycling programs have become more logistically challenging and costly for communities across the country, and as a result, many have been forced to eliminate programs altogether," said Ryan Smith, who founded Recyclops in 2014 and serves as CEO. "Our mission is to make sustainability easily accessible to all, regardless of where they live. We're particularly excited about expanding to Bullhead City and the surrounding areas because we're able to restore a program that was clearly very important to residents."
Michaelis previously told the City Council that it would need at least “100 households to get this start” in Bullhead City.
That number has been reached.
Bullhead City's voluntary recycling program, conducted by Republic Services, ceased last September.
Republic officials said the depressed resale market for recyclables coupled with the rising cost of shipping and sorting the materials — and the fact that many customers didn't differentiate between recyclables and household trash — made the service cost-prohibitive at its approved rates.
Republic, the city's contracted trash service provider, and the city agreed to remove recycling from the ongoing contract.
Trash service is mandatory in Bullhead City; recycling is voluntary.
Many residents contacted the city about finding some other form of a recycling program.
Recyclops, which offers service in 13 states with hopes to continue expansion, saw markets in Mohave County as viable for its business.
The company already has established a recycling program in Kingman.
"We were thrilled to see Recyclops starting up in our community and filling this need,” Cotter said. “We wish them success in their efforts."
Residents can sign up for service on the Recyclops website, https://recyclops.com/.