JACKSON TWP. Officials at the Jackson Township Recycling Station avoided closing its doors after reducing its workforce and eliminating plastics from its business.
Steve DeJane, manager of the facility, said two full-time positions were eliminated, which will save about $20,000 per year. They also made the decision to stop accepting plastics at the recycling facility at 5717 Wales Ave. NW.
DeJane said the center loses about $80 per ton on plastics. It takes a lot of time and manpower to sort the various plastic products and the return on the product is very low and has been for about three years, he said.
“We just lose so much (from plastics) and that was not cost effective,” DeJane said.
Earlier this month, DeJane warned that without an influx of money, the recycling site would be forced to shut down. The nonprofit organization began serving the Jackson Township area in 1983.
Overwhelming response
DeJane said visitors can still recycle some plastics in dumpsters provided by the The Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Recycling District. The recycling district only accepts items with a neck such as plastic jars and bottles. Butter tubs, yogurt cups, claw containers are not accepted.
If the market for plastics improves, DeJane hopes to begin accepting all plastics again, but only time will tell.
He hopes the measures taken at this time will allow them to make it through the end of the year and allow them to break even.
When patrons learned the center was in danger of closing, DeJane said he got an overwhelming response from people and local organizations willing to help
The H.W. Hoover Foundation offered to help them change their tax status from 501(c)(4) to 501(c)(3) designation – which makes donations tax deductible.
The COVID-19 shut down is making it difficult to obtain the new status as the IRS is closed, DeJane said.
“We can’t even submit the paperwork,” he added.
Other organizations also offered help once the new tax-deductible status is obtained.
Hours at the center remain the same. Items can be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Anyone in Stark, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties can use the facility.
For more information, visit www. jacksonrecycling.org.