Forest City Discusses Recycling Issues

The Forest City Council and Mayor Ron Holland continue to deal with recycling issues within city limits. The city charges residents to pick up and dispose of recyclables. The cost is cheaper than the garbage pick-up charges and the city would like to maintain that pricing strategy.

The issue is that the Mason City location where the city takes its recyclables is not taking plastics and glass. They will recycle paper into insulation products, but the other recyclables have no market value. Forest City Director of Streets and Sanitation Andrew Faber sees no reason to change right now but is keeping options open.

The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors have opted for a $48,000 a year contract with a Winnebago County company that calls for a central drop off location in Thompson instead of curbside pick-up which became problematic because of repeated complaints of service issues with a Cerro Gordo County based company.

Faber had made contact with Kossuth County regarding their transfer station and has explored other options. He sees a possible change in the future.

Mayor Ron Holland has been proactive by checking a number of resources including the same company Winnebago County intends to use.

Holland believes that if the city continues to work the problem, there will be a workable solution.

The conversations are not limited to just the recycling centers involved. Faber sees more discussion happening about what to do.

For now, the city council will continue to keep options open on what should be done next.