DOTHAN, AL (WSFA) - The city of Dothan plans to continue the recycling program after finding potential ways to cut costs.
Last year, city leaders weighed options about the future of the recycling program and considered modifying the curb-side pickup program and consolidating drop-off site locations.
Right now, the city pays $125 a ton to process materials at a facility in Conyers, Georgia. That translates to over $600,000 in yearly costs and the city isn’t getting any revenue in return. Now, they’re looking at working with RePower recycling facility in Montgomery to process goods at a cheaper rate. They are still working out the deals of the contract, but it’s expected to cut costs dramatically.
“Bringing the price of our recycling from $125 a ton to $30 - $40 to make it realistic and fall in line with our garbage,” said Charles Metzger Public Works Director.
“The city of Dothan is really partnering with them to figure out how we can keep recycling affordable and keep doing it as a city,” said Beth Kenwood, Commissioner.
About 9,000 of Dothan’s 30,000 citizens participate in the recycling program. Metzger says they won’t tell the difference in service.
The city is also consolidating drop-off sites to two locations. One at the landfill off Burkett Road and the other in front of Westgate Park’s Recreation Center. Those sites will be gated with cameras and have a person on staff to monitor drop-off to ensure people are dropping off only recycling materials.
“We closed several of the drop-off locations for recycling because people were frankly abusing the drop-offs,” said Kenwood.
Crews were out Thursday installing gating and a security shed at the Westgate location. It’s expected to open in the next two weeks.
Courtesy : wsfa.com