bi-monthly column

ASK A MECK COUNTY EXPERT

Mecklenburg County Solid Waste experts receive hundreds of residential waste disposal and recycling questions weekly. To educate and empower the Natural Awakenings readership, their experts provide updates and answer some of the most frequently asked questions in a new bi-monthly column.

Recycling and Planning for the Future

In this inaugural column the County would like to focus on what is coming for our recycling future. Yes, we think ahead regarding waste and recycling especially related to all the new residents moving into our community, as well as our aging infrastructure at our processing center.

Mecklenburg County has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to interested companies to retrofit the existing materials recycling facility (MRF) on Amble Drive. This process anticipates proposals to be submitted in the early fall timeframe and then evaluated. The ultimate result will be a new and modern sorting facility. The County has asked potential vendors to concentrate on mechanical sorting, to be less reliant upon human sorters. The cost of labor keeps rising, and the COVID crisis highlighted the need to move away from people sorting recyclables. Our future will be bright for recycling, but also very technically oriented.

This process is not short and will take most of the next two years to fully complete. We also are working on establishing new collection and processing centers on Monroe Road and another on John Price Drive. Establishing these new centers will allow our residents greater opportunities for recycling and waste processing. We appreciate your interest in the environment and your commitment to Recycle Right!

If you have program questions about recycling, waste diversion or anything else related to waste, visit www.WipeOutWaste. com. To submit a waste disposal and recycling question, email SolidWaste@ mecklenburgcountync.gov. Jeff Smithberger, Director of Solid Waste, answers the top 7 residential recycling questions at https://tinyurl.com/MeckRecyleRightFAQs.