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Lead ends unmanned recycling drop-off, approves voluntary curbside recycling program
Summary
The commission voted to end the unmanned recycling drop-off at the top of town and approved a voluntary curbside recycling option to serve Lead residents without raising city charges.
The Lead City Commission voted Feb. 3 to end the unmanned recycling drop-off at the top of town and to begin a voluntary curbside recycling program for city residents, effective once the vendor schedule and branded containers are ready.
Sander Sanitation owner Fred told the commission the drop-off site had been used by many people outside city limits and that the volume and contamination had made the unmanned center unsustainable. “The intent of the recycling center was to provide recycling for the residents of the city of Lead,” Fred said, adding the service had become a financial burden as nonresidents increasingly used the bins.
Commissioners discussed options including improved signage, cameras and limiting the drop-off to residents, but the motion that passed ended the unmanned site and authorized the city to transition to a voluntary curbside collection. The commission recorded the motion as passed by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the minutes.
Under the plan described at the meeting, residents who opt in would receive designated 96-gallon bins with city branding and a monthly or periodic pickup route; cardboard was discussed as a problematic commodity because market demand for cardboard fluctuates, and the vendor said some cardboard has been landfilled at times when no outlet was available. Commercial entities would be asked to contract separately with the vendor for service.
Why it matters: the change moves recycling from an unmanned public drop-off (which the vendor said nonresidents have used heavily) toward an opt-in curbside model that vendors in nearby communities use, with the city seeking to avoid shifting extra costs to all ratepayers.
Commissioners asked staff to add signage and public notice on the city website and social media while the program is being set up. The city did not announce program pricing at the meeting and described participation as voluntary; the vendor said the program is intended not to raise fees on citizens who do not elect to participate.
