By T. Scott Boatright
The city of Ruston is set to suspend its household recycling program Aug. 1.
But there is a potential full-circle kicker to that news — service will be immediately restored should the city be able to complete negotiations with a recycling company Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker said that he had held talks with a company on Tuesday morning and was waiting to hear back from.
The move to potentially suspend the city’s recycling program came because after a month of searching, the city officials have found no other no company willing to step in and accept Ruston recyclables in the wake of a recent fire that destroyed the processing center in Kilgore, Texas, that the city had been using.
Rivers Recycling in Kilgore, Texas, had been handling Ruston’s recyclables until Walker and other city officials were informed on June 20 that Rivers Recycling has suspended operations with a timespan of at least six months predicted to be needed in order to rebuild the facility.
The city of Ruston has continued to pick up recycling since the Rivers Recycling fire, but the paper, plastic, and other refuse have gone to Union Parish just as the rest of Ruston’s household garbage has been doing.
“We have searched far and wide for an alternative and have not found one within a reasonable driving distance,” Walker said Tuesday afternoon. “And reasonable in this case is within three hours. So, we are going to suspend recycling at the end of this week. And the reason we are going to do it this week is because we pick up recycling on Thursday and Friday, and next Thursday is Aug. 1, so we are trying to end it at the end of the month.
“We have no choice at this point. Everything we pick up this Thursday and Friday will be part of our regular garbage pickup and will go to the Union Parish Landfill. So those who have recycling will not be charged until we start picking it up again for that purpose. We are not going to pick up the blue cans because we are committed to recycling and we are going to find someone that can take that over for us for now.”
Now for the kicker that could change plans all over again.
“I just got off the phone,” Walker said. “And the person I was talking to said that by the end of the week, they’re going to send me a proposal. If this guy emails me Friday with a proposal, then we will turn around and say we are not going to suspend it. We are active every day seeking some other kind of way.”
Walker said there are some things about Ruston’s recycling process many people don’t understand.
“We collect 150 tons of recyclables every year,” Walker said. “So that’s 150 loads of trash that the Police Jury doesn’t have to pay for the trip up there and the trip back. I do not know Union Parish’s tipping fees, but in Kilgore (Texas), it is $75 a ton.
“So, I think it’s a pretty good savings to go from Farmerville and back with the tipping fee. That is one reason it is good for us to do it. I wish the entire parish would do it. We do not make money from recycling. We lose money on trash. We just did a survey of towns along I-20 along with Natchitoches. The cheapest one time a week pickup on household garbage was $23. And we are at $6.”
Walker also pointed out that several of those surveyed cities charge to pick up and dispose of limbs and other yard debris.
“And oh, by the way, we charge $0 for that,” Walker said. “And we hear complaints about $6 for four times a month pickup.”
Recycling customers in Ruston will not be charged the $10 monthly fee for as long as the pickup is on hold and that those who have been paying recycling fees will be rolled back over to being charged whenever the city finds a way to return recycling pickup services.
While the blue recycling bins will be emptied on schedule this week and next week until Aug. 1, after that city recycling enthusiasts are requested to put all household refuse — everything — inside their household garbage cans to be picked up.
Ruston has about 800 recycling customers, most of whom are within the city limits.
Walker said he is holding out hope a solution will be found soon.
“Something will work out within the next six months,” he said.
