Solid-waste staff warn of needles in recycling, market pressures and staffing impacts on sticker sales
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Summary
Solid-waste staff reported e-waste and event funding submissions, warned of rising needle/medication contamination in recycling loads and described pressure on sticker sales, staffing at transfer stations and a weak PET market; the committee approved surplus-equipment disposals and routine transfers.
Solid-waste staff provided an operations update and several areas of concern. Annual reports — including an e-waste report — were filed and the 2025 event-grant reimbursement was submitted; staff plan an October 10 collection-day event for 2026.
Staff said a recent recycling audit found an increasing presence of needles and medication in recycling loads at several transfer stations, creating health and safety concerns for station staff and processors. They will reach out to the Columbia County Department of Health and post disposal resources and syringe-disposal locations on county web pages.
Officials also described sticker sales timing and the senior discounted rate. Stickers went on sale Dec. 1; staff cautioned that selling earlier affects the revenue model that funds recycling operations and that clerks were overwhelmed during tax season when sticker purchases spiked. Transfer-station staffing was reduced on some Saturdays due to vacations and seasonality; staff said they will ensure minimum station staffing levels.
On market pressures, staff said the PET recycling market has weakened substantially (prices cited at a few cents per pound), increasing tip fees and stressing the program’s finances; however, staff said, at current fee levels the recycling program is covering costs for now.
The committee approved routine resolution requests including authorization to sell an item at auction and to transfer a sander to the highway department.
