We are in danger of losing the recycling service the Sun Lakes Posse provides for area residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is a tremendous service for area residents, and it keeps a great deal of material out of the landfill.
The company that provides this service for us recycles only the following items: Flattened cardboard boxes, shredded paper in clear plastic bags, all types of clean paper, all types of clean and rinsed plastic containers with caps removed if there are caps on them, except plastic containers used for oil or similar products, and aluminum and metal cans. These are the only kinds of recyclables we accept.
Recycling companies are facing higher costs of labor and equipment and lower prices for some of the products they recycle. The company reserves the right to cancel this service at any time because of non-recycle items put in the bins that damage the rams in their equipment or because of the high costs of removing and disposing of non-recyclables put in the bins.
People continue to put an unbelievable number and amount on non-acceptable items in the bins. This is a recycling service we provide, not a public dump. Removing and disposing of non-acceptable items is a very costly process.
When the recycled items are shredded, plastic bags, plastic wrapping, strings, etc., put in the bins and not removed in the sorting process become entangled in the shredder. The process has to be stopped and the items cut out and removed.
Plastic containers, such as milk jugs, water bottles, large soda bottles, etc., that can be easily flattened take up a lot of space in the bins when the caps are not removed and the items flattened, as do empty boxes or filled boxes that are not emptied and flattened. Taking the time to do this will give you more space in your containers and more space in our bins. When a large flattened cardboard piece is put over items not flattened, it leaves a large void in the bins. Our volunteers work very hard to keep the bins in shape to hold the maximum amount of material, but they are not there all of the time. We need your help to keep the bins in shape to hold as much material as possible. Please empty and break down all cardboard boxes, large and small, and take the caps off all plastic containers.
Please remember – Do not put any items in the bins not listed in the second paragraph.
The Posse needs more volunteers to assist customers and to keep the bins in shape to hold as much recyclable material as possible. The hours are very flexible, and volunteers can help as much as they wish. We need everyone’s help to keep the recycling program available to all who use it 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Thank you very much for your help as well as your donations which help us provide the many services for area residents that the Posse provides.