Ecologist wants to help residents recycle
Staff writer
For Marion County resident and businessman Steve Myer, recycling isn’t just a way to make money. It’s a way of life.
At Monday’s Marion County Commission meeting, Myer said there are two reasons for recycling — it’s ethical and to make money. He recycles first because it’s the right thing to do and secondly to support his family.
And he wants to help county residents recycle, not only for him to make money but because it’s the right thing to do for the environment.
Currently, Myer said he has a warehouse in Newton but would like to move his operations to Marion County. The price of recyclables are at an all-time high, he said.
“I could almost afford to do incorporated areas once a month for no charge with the current price of recyclables,” he said. However, he would like to charge customers $2.50 per month to pay for plastic trash bags and working capital.
Even though he didn’t present a formal proposal, Myer made it clear that he was willing to negotiate with the commission to come to an amicable agreement.
The recycling company, South Central Recycling, provides curb-side recycling in Newton once a month. He collects clean paper products, cardboard, glass, and plastic.
Myer said he preferred customers using plastic bags because it keeps soiled items from one customer contaminating items from another customer. The plastic bags then are recycled.
The recyclables then are sold to mills.
Myer said he and his family, a total of four, can recycle 60 pounds per month.
The cardboard bales at Vogt’s Hometown Market at Hillsboro are picked up by Myer’s company. He also provides services to Hodgeman County. He said he doesn’t provide a baler to Hodgeman County but would consider giving a baler to Marion County if there are enough recyclables.
Myer said some of his profit would be used for renewable energy such as wind turbines because he genuinely believes in the concept of reusing resources as much as possible.
The commission agreed this would be a good concept and will discuss it at a future meeting.