Campbell County Commissioners will close the county’s recycling facility at the end of the month, citing the operating costs and the decline in revenue from recycled materials.
The Campbell County Amalgamated Recycling Enterprise, or CARE, facility has operated on Westover Road since 2016.
Tuesday morning, Commission Chair Del Shelstad said that the county spends between $250,000 to $300,000 to operate the facility each year, and that the global recycling market has declined, resulting in less revenue to help offset the operating cost.
“In light of the annual cost combined with anticipated decreases in county tax revenue due to projected reductions in coal production and the county’s commitment to budget reductions means maintaining the program is no longer fiscally responsible,” Shelstad said.
The employees currently working at the recycling center will transfer to the North Landfill once the CARE facility is shut down. And the City of Gillette's curbside recycling program will continue to operate separate from this program.
“We feel like we want to quit throwing taxpayers’ dollars at this, it’s costing us more than it’s worth, and it’s becoming more cumbersome every year,” Shelstad said.
The CARE facility will continue its regular hours, which are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and its last day will be June 28.
In the meantime, the county is considering soliciting proposals from private companies to run a manufacturing or recycling facility at the CARE facility location.
Courtesy : Gillettenewsrecord.com