Recycling stations located throughout Lake County
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Recycling is on the rise in Lake County, according to Lake County Solid Waste District program manager Mark Nelson.
In May, the city of Polson got a $24,000 Recycling Infrastructure Grant from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. The money went to buy 60- and 95-gallon bins, 15-gallon tubs, wire baskets for cardboard and a trailer to transport the larger bins to the Lake County Transfer Station. Bins were placed at city offices and Polson schools, as well as at parks during special events.
The Lake County Transfer Station also received an ERA grant for about $25,000 to purchase four Dumpster-size recycling bins — one each for Polson, Ronan and St. Ignatius and one to rotate around the county. Nelson ordered the bins last week and said they should be in in about six weeks.
“We’re gonna start with cardboard and newspaper (recycling),” he said.
Meanwhile, residents can bring recyclables including office paper, newspaper, magazines, plastic bottles, cardboard (corrugated boxes only and brown paper bags), used motor oil (five gallons or less), used antifreeze, vehicle batteries and tires to the Lake County Transfer Station on North Reservoir Road in Polson. Metal items and grass and leaves should be taken to the Lake County Landfill on Kerr Dam Road in Polson, although small metal items and small quantities of grass and leaves can be left at the transfer station when the landfill is closed.
Nelson encouraged people to sort recyclables and make sure no trash is left in cardboard boxes.
“Don’t pollute your recyclables,” he said. “The more separation (people) do before they bring it here, the easier it is for them, and it helps us.”
Residents should follow the three Rs of plastic recycling, he added: remove all lids and caps, rinse the container and reduce the size (smash it). Plastic bottles made of #1 and #2 plastic — labeled with a triangle on the bottom of the container — are acceptable, but no plastic tubs, buckets or trays are allowed.
“We have a market for the bottles, but if people keep leaving other stuff they might not take (the bottles) any more,” Nelson said.
In Arlee, a recycling bin donated by Allied Waste Services is located next to the Arlee Alliance Church at the corner of Houle and Culloyah Streets. Allowed items include aluminum, newspaper, magazines and office paper, as long as it’s bundled, Arlee Community Development Corporation secretary Kelley Brown said.
“They don’t want any of it loose because it tends to blow around.”
Although there’s no sign on the bin, aluminum cans are also accepted, Brown added.
