RecyclingMonster - According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average person throws away about 4.4lbs of trash every day, around a quarter of that is recyclable. Here in the Ozarks, that amounts to 1.3 million pounds of trash with nearly half a million being recyclable.
Rick Shortt, the Director of Marketing for Rolling Oaks and Infinity Management says, “We all have to become more concerned about what we can do to save this planet.”
In apartment complexes, recycling is difficult because of the expense. When Shortt priced recycling options he found it would cost around $160 for the bins. Monthly recurring costs to haul away the recycling is about $100 for two containers.
The numbers can amount to thousands when accounting for the amount of bins needed per complex.
For the renter, trash utilities are already included in the rent.
According to Sam Coryell, TLC Apartment President, adding recycling to an apartment complex would likely not cause rates to rise.
Coryell says, "This would be a charge to the property."
ven if the service is available at apartments, it is not always used correctly.
Coryell says at his apartments some residents don’t throw their non-recyclables in the correct bin.
"We would have to have our service techs go out there and pull out all the trash... put it into the dumpster...before they would pick up the recycle bin," said Coryell.
However, Coryell has found the residents are more likely to make use of the recycling in newer complexes.
The biggest thing that may be holding complexes back is the lack of demand.
Shortt believes if more people were to request recycling at the complex, the service would be more available. He also says it is up to the managers to help educate renters on the importance of recycling.
"I think it all depends on the individual... and it's up to us to educate folks to understand why it's important," said Shortt.
If your apartment does not recycle the City of Springfield has two recycling centers where you can sort your goods for free. The only hauling service you have to pay for is if you are throwing out mattresses.