By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — All outdoor recycling drop-off stations managed by the Kosciusko County Recycling Depot will close this year.

During a Tuesday, Nov. 22 meeting, the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District voted to close the sites at Claypool, Leesburg, Mentone, Milford, North Webster, Pierceton, Silver Lake, Syracuse and Warsaw.

Recycling Depot Director Tom Ganser said in order to keep the sites open, the district would have to either draw money from its investment or raise taxes. The Warsaw location on Union Street will continue offering recycling for electronics and household hazardous waste items.

However, effective Jan. 1, Borden Waste-Away Service Inc., Elkhart, will begin offering curbside recycling services county-wide.

“In keeping what we’ve always done, we don’t compete with the private sector,” said Ganser. “We don’t do tire recycling because every tire store does recycling. Well, we have a vendor now that’s doing curbside recycling for subscription, so why would we compete and at the same time drive up tax rates?”

Curbside recycling services through Borden will cost $8 a month.

Ganser also noted the closures would help with contamination rates. At the drop-off stations, the depot sees about 40% contamination. Through curbside services, Borden’s contamination rate is typically less than 10%.

“To me, this is what we’ve been after this whole time,” said Board President Brad Jackson.

“There was so much contamination in the recycling that was happening,” said Board Member Cary Groninger. “We were collecting as much garbage as we were recyclables.”

Ganser said signage will be placed at each drop-off site and staff will post on social media regarding the closures.

The district’s next meeting is at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20.