NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT) - Craven County Commissioners recently voted to end curbside recycling pickup countywide on Friday, June 28, 2019, due to rising costs of recycling collection services.
However, some residents are not happy about the change.
"It's very upsetting to me," said Jane Merrill, resident of New Bern.
"Whatever it takes we need curbside recycling," said Nancy Pocklington, resident of New Bern.
Commissioners made the decision at a meeting on April 15, after they discovered the county's recycling collector, Waste Industries, would nearly double the price it charges the county for curbside recycling pickup in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2019.
Jack Veit, Craven County Manager, explained why the cost increase is happening:
“Waste Industries sells recyclables and the demand for recycled material is market-driven. At this time, buyers of recycled materials are not purchasing the same quantity the world is producing. As a result, recycle service providers are not able to sell the material for sufficient revenue and need to increase their service fee to continue providing services."
Recycle bins currently provided as a part of Craven County’s curbside recycling program will be collected by Waste Industries on the last day of service the week of June 24, 2019.
Craven County officials say they will continue to collect mixed recyclables, paper, newspapers, corrugated cardboard, aluminum, steel or tin cans, and most types of clean glass or plastic bottles (except motor oil and pesticide containers), at each of its seven Solid Waste and Recycling Convenience Sites.
Mixed recyclables, paper, cardboard, cans, and bottles can be dropped off at no cost on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the following locations:
3555 NC Highway 101, Havelock, North Carolina
605 NC Highway 55 East New Bern, North Carolina
205 Belltown Road, Dover, North Carolina
7775 Highway 70 East, Havelock, North Carolina
4001 Old Cherry Point Road, New Bern, North Carolina
135 Sanders Lane, New Bern, North Carolina