Habersham County details $257,800 in recycling-site upgrades; tonnage and revenue rising but personnel costs unclear

Habersham County staff presented an overview of recent recycling-site upgrades and operating figures at the county’s May 2025 work session, reporting about $257,806 in one‑time capital improvements split between the FY 2024 and FY 2025 budgets and describing a rise in recycling tonnage and gross revenue while noting that full personnel costs were not included in the presented profitability numbers.

The county staff member leading the presentation, Mister Bickers, said the upgrades included concrete pads, electrical panels and meter bases, a used roll‑off truck, four self‑contained compactors and replaced open‑top containers. “The self contained compactors enhance hauling by compacting cardboard and paper rather than hauling loose and bulking material,” Bickers said, noting the compactors improve accessibility for elderly and handicap users by eliminating metal steps.

Why this matters: County officials said recycling diverts material from landfill airspace, reduces hauling inefficiencies and can affect how quickly the county’s landfill uses remaining capacity. The presenter translated recyclables tonnage into landfill “airspace” value and showed that recycled material displaced an…