Recycling bins dumped at landfill

Recyclable materials Green River residents sort and set aside in their recycling containers may not wind up at a recycling facility. Recycling bins from Wyoming Waste Systems are being taken to the landfill outside of Rock Springs, according to Solid Waste District No. 1’s director.

“What we’ve seen are bins they’ve used for recycling come through,” Kevin Herman, the solid waste district’s general manager said.

Wyoming Waste Systems did not respond to requests for comment as of press time.

According to Mark Westenskow, director of public works for the city, there could be legitimate reasons for WWS dumping its recycling. While he said he cannot speak for the company, he said the city was forced to put recyclable materials in its landfill when it handled solid waste operations. Contamination of recyclable materials is a major concern and if the materials are contaminated with other substances, they cannot be accepted. The city’s solid waste division occasionally would ship recyclables to the landfill to reset the amount of contaminating substances at the recycling center.

“That was a decision we had to make from time to time,” Westenskow said.

Westenskow doesn’t question the company’s commitment to recycling, saying employees were sorting recyclables on the floor the day after the city’s transfer station had its fire.

He also thinks the recycling industry faces some serious challenges, one of which being China no longer accepting as many recyclable materials as it once had.

Westenskow said the result of that decision has forced areas with traditionally strong recycling programs to landfill or burn items they originally could recycle.

“This is an industry-wide struggle,” Westenskow said.

Recycling was one of the key components in negotiations between the city and WWS.

Mayor Pete Rust said the issue is important for some residents.

Westenskow said the company’s decision to offer Green River’s residents the recycling bins was one of the reasons the city opted to negotiate further and eventually contract with the company.

“I think to a certain group of people, I’m one of them for instance ... (recycling is) important,” Rust said.