Bladen County staff pause recycling payments and seek contract talks as collection sites overflow

Bladen County officials told commissioners they have paused an informal recycling arrangement and are negotiating a contract with Pratt Industries after unanticipated charges and overflowing collection sites.

County staff said they had been receiving recyclable material and paying Pratt Industries about $1,700 a month without a formal contract. Staff placed the recycling handling on hold until a contract can be negotiated to clarify roles and charges. While the county and Pratt work on a contract, staff consolidated recyclables to reduce vendor charges and have been shipping bundled material at a single cost where possible.

Commissioners and staff also discussed operational problems at the county's solid-waste sites. A resident complaint raised accessibility concerns for seniors, who could not lift trash into the site containers. Commissioners discussed using compactors and adjusting collection schedules; staff said the sites were behind after weather and that crews worked extra, including a Saturday, to catch up.

County staff warned that adding recycling or changing service models could increase solid-waste budget needs and that proposals to expand recycling should come with a contract and clear cost estimates. The board did not take a separate formal vote on a recycling contract during the meeting; staff said they would pursue negotiations and report back.