Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Potratz gathers information on recycling

Daryl Potratz has been working with the City of Gurdon to gather information in order to find a more feasible way to dispose of Gurdon's solid waste while implementing a recycling plan.

At the past few city council meetings, Potratz has reported on some of his findings and promised to have more facts and maybe some solutions in the near future.

Potratz addressed the council Monday, April 15, and told it of his new plans.

Potratz said, "Gurdon's solid waster disposal is basically problem free. A&M Equipment charges the city $62.50 per ton for their services and Arkadelphia charges $40 per ton which includes $19.20 for tipping fees resulting in $102.50 per ton for the city to pay."

Potratz also said he would like to see Gurdon do more recycling. The recycling handled by the city now done on a volunteer basis and doesn't really bring in many recyclables.

In gathering information, Potratz found most cost per ton rates ranged from $37-$47. Therefore, he found it to be possible for Gurdon to reduce its cost. He also said recycling is a primary factor in reducing costs and would reduce the amount of waste hauled to the landfill. It would also bring in revenue as the recyclables are sold and recycling benefits the overall environmental quality.

Potratz presented three possible solutions to the council. The first, being to modify the current system by recycling more. The city generated 900 tons of solid waste annually, amounting to $90,000 in disposal costs. Fees collected at this time barely meet these costs and may eventually cause an increase in fees if a recycling program is not developed.

Potratz suggested bettering this particular program a commercial cardboard pickup service would need to be started. All the area businesses now throw their cardboard into the regular trash except for Sexton Foods which bales its trash and has it picked up. This would require a part-time employee along with finding a designated area where materials such as catalogs, magazines, glass and scrap metal could be stockpiled.

This particular solution would reduce the cost of solid waste disposal by $30,875.

The second solution would be for the city to establish a curbside pick-up.

This would require the city to start its own solid waste department and provide manpower and equipment. Citizens would set out trash on the curb as usual; however, they would be required to separate all items in order to be recycled.

This is estimated to cost the city $81,340 a year with a diversion of $16,875 a year.

The third suggestion would be to install a locally owned transfer station, meaning a unit that compacts the wastes into a container and then is put on a truck and taken directly to a landfill.

This is the type of disposal Hot Spring County uses.

All solid wastes and recyclables would be carried to the transfer station by the citizens and then compacted.

This method would require someone being hired and trained to run the station, plus the purchase of a truck to carry the full container to the landfill when necessary.

This method would eliminate the fees paid to Arkadelphia except for the $19.20 in tipping fees.

Potratz also said large containers would be set up for citizens to drop off old appliances and old furniture to reduce the city-wide clean up program and stop dumping on roadsides and rural areas.

Potratz said he was still gathering information and hoped to have more information at the next city council meeting.