GRIMES, Iowa — When metro residents fill their green bin with papers, plastics, cardboard and cans, recyclables will now go from the curb to the new Metro Recycling Facility in Grimes.
The plant aims to improve the recycling process with sustainability at the center. Executive Director of Metro Waste Authority Michael McCoy says residents can now feel confident their recyclables won't end up in a landfill.
"What we can guarantee is the peace of mind that what you're putting in there will be recycled and will be sold into another commodity to make a plastic widget or a new cardboard box," McCoy said. "All of our stuff today is being sold domestically to mills -- cardboard mills, paper mills -- literally making more of your tissue paper or more of your cardboard boxes."
The plant will process items from the Curb It! recycling program, but McCoy said they're also getting requests to process recyclables from across the Midwest. He said that's because the facility features advanced technology that reduces contamination and provides a better output for material sales.
"Humans can only sort so much and so fast. These pieces of equipment will help," McCoy said. "Optical readers will be reading the material that comes under and doing some of the sorting for us down to precise items and what they're made of."
The site also features an education center with a multipurpose area, an observation deck above the sorting floor and hands-on exhibits to help visitors learn. McCoy said it's important to educate the community on what can and can't be recycled and hopes the facility will promote a better understanding of the recycling process.