Recycling

The City of Prairie du Chien in conjunction with the City’s contractor, Town and Country Sanitation, will begin the new one-pass automated collection for refuse and recycling beginning May 1, 2017.  As part of the program, City residents will begin receiving recycling toters over the next few weeks beginning on April 8th.  These toters are lidded, wheeled containers similar to the containers now used for refuse.  Recycling will now be collected once every two weeks.  “Although the City is moving to recycling every two weeks, we believe there will be an increase in the amount of recycling because of the size of the toter, the fact that recyclables will be able to mixed in the recycling toter without sorting or bundling, and the fact that the toter has a lid to keep recyclables from getting wet or blowing away,” says Mayor Dave Hemmer.

“The automated part of the system is really exciting,” explains Doug Enke of Town and Country Sanitation.  “The trucks are equipped with an arm operated from inside the cab of the truck.  The arm reaches out, grabs the toter, and empties it into the truck, whether it is recyclables or garbage being collected.  This increases the efficiency of collection, reduces recyclables or refuse blowing around or escaping from the truck, and improves the safety of our drivers.”

The City will continue to collect the wide range of recyclables currently collected including aluminum containers; corrugated paper and other container board; glass containers; magazines; newspaper; office paper; rigid plastic containers, including those made of PETE, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS and other resins or multiple resins; steel containers; and bi-metal containers.  These are to be put into the recycling toter and do not need to be sorted or bundled separately.  “Improved sorting technology at the recycling plants allows us to collect mixed recyclables while maintaining quality standards meaning less hassles for the residents in recycling the maximum amount,” says Doug Enke.  Because of the larger container size, this process is also designed to make the task of recycling easier and cleaner for residents, which will help with the City’s efforts by recycling more items rather than adding them to landfills.

Correct placement of the wheeled garbage and recycling toters is especially important so that the automated arm can reach the toters and once emptied return them to the curb.  Please place the toters at lease three feet from fixed objects like mailboxes, streets, streetlights or parked vehicles and with a two to three foot gap between toters.  Place the toters on a level surface if possible, with the lids substantially closed, within one foot of the curb, and with the arrows on the lids pointing out toward the alley or street.  Toters need to be placed out by 6 AM on the day of collection.   Please remove the toters from streets and alleys once they have been emptied.

“Prairie du Chien residents have been great recyclers and I am confident they will embrace the efficiency and effectiveness of the new collection system to recycle even more,” say Dave Hemmer. “I ask residents be patient as Town and Country delivers the new toters and as the new program gets up and running.”