Mount Holly City Council recently rejected a rate increase proposed by the city’s contracted residential recycling collection company, which would have increased prices for residents from $5.18 to $9.71 per month.
In a press release, the city said the financial burden on residents would have been unsustainable.
As a result, the program will be temporarily suspended while leaders search for other options.
According to the release, a 2018 change in the market caused a decreased demand for recyclable materials.
“Prior to 2018, a third of the scrap recycled in the United States was exported, and China was the biggest buyer. However, China began insisting on higher-quality recyclables after bales were riddled with contaminants,” it said. “These changes due to contamination in the industry have made recycling less profitable. Nearby cities including Gastonia, Shelby, Kings Mountain and Bessemer City all have recently ended curbside recycling efforts for similar reasons.”
Effective July 1, the city is no longer collecting recycling, and residents are encouraged to take their recycling to the Riverbend Recycling Center located at 146 Mountain Island Road, Mount Holly,
In 2020, Gastonia leaders made the decision to cut the city’s residential recycling program for similar reasons, and other municipalities followed suit.
Belmont is the only municipality currently offering the service.
Gaston County Recycling Coordinator Becca Hurd said that bringing recycling to a drop-off center can have some benefits when compared to residential recycling.
For example, contamination can be mitigated by recycling facilitators at drop-off locations who help residents decipher what can or cannot be recycled, she said.
Hurd recommends that those who are able continue to bring their recyclables to a center near them and offer to grab a neighbor’s recycling if they are unable to take it themselves.
Most Popular
Comments / 0