Recycling options continue in city, county
May 21—Recycling services have been offered in Lee County since the early 1990s and in Sanford since 2012.
Today, both entities contract with GFL, or Green for Life, to transport recyclables to Sonoco Recycling, where they're sorted and sold. According to sonoco.com, the company operates material recovery facilities in Raleigh, Jacksonville, Wilmington and Asheville.
Lee County pays $117,000 a year to GFL to service six convenience centers, which provides for disposal of trash and recyclables, according to county spokeswoman Hailey Hall. Each residence pays $143.50 a year for solid waste services, including recycling.
Hall said that former Solid Waste Superintendent Joseph Cherry believes the service dates back to the early 1990s.
The county instituted a decal program on July 1, 2022, to prevent non-county residents from dumping trash at convenience centers. This was done to cut down on waste and associated dumping fees from unapproved sources. Each residence gets two decals. Additional decals are $10 each.
Sanford began offering recycling in 2012, according to Kelly Miller, the city's public information officer.
The biweekly service is offered with a 96-gallon blue bin at each residence.
Yearly recycling totals have steadily risen over the past five fiscal years, according to Sanford's Facilities and Beautification Administrator Kris Furmage.
Represented in tons, the totals have been 2,116; 2,295; 2,308; 2,050 and 2,394, although the latter total does not include the final two months of the current fiscal year.
The amount of trash has also increased over the past four complete fiscal years, totaling 8,593; 9,297; 9,375 and 9,515, respectively.
Recycling in Sanford generally averages about 24% of what is collected in trash.
Contamination is an issue that the city and county tries to remedy by educating residents.
"People often assume recycling is simpler than it actually is. Many items people recycle are no longer recyclable after use," Hall said.
A number of things should not be put into recycling bins, including plastic bags and plastic wrap, batteries, clothes, electronics, food-tainted items, shredded paper and styrofoam, for example. Some of these items may be able to be recycled in other places, such as plastic grocery store bags outside grocery stores, for example.
Fortunately, Furmage notes that the city has never exceeded the percentage of contamination allowed by GFL.
Each city resident pays $340 annually for trash and recycling service, which includes removal of tree limbs, leaves and electronics.
"Recycling isn't just a trend," Furmage said in an email. "It's a vital practice for managing resources efficiently. By reusing materials like paper, glass and plastic, we minimize waste and lessen the burden on our environment. It's a simple action with significant benefits, ensuring a more sustainable approach to resource usage."
He added that the city encourages all residents to embrace a proactive approach to recycling adhering to best practices to ensure the efficacy of recycling efforts. Residents are encouraged to visit the city's website to familiarize themselves with the correct procedures for recycling.
