Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Unfortunately, this large cardboard box thrown out in a garbage bin at a Kimball park could have been recycled. Instead, it ended up in the local landfill.
As we close the book on 2020 and look forward to the New Year with a commitment to be better, lose weight, exercise more, read more books or just enjoy life, a simple yet profound resolution can be easily attained by learning about recycling and participating in recycling in our local area.
Kimball Recycling has made it easy, very simple for the community to recycling. Kimball is sprinkled with recycling containers in alleys throughout town. Those wire containers are a single stream container, meaning you can put all your recycling items into this alley container. According to Executive Director Spud Rowley "the more bins we put out, the better it is."
In addition, the Kimball Recycle center located on west Highway 30 is a one stop recycle center with innovative doors to deposit anything from tin cans, milk jugs, other plastic, newspaper and magazines. Additional spots at the recycling center accept cardboard, batteries, glass and electronics.
As you work to change your habits and make a dent in the landfill space, start your New Year's Resolution with recycling just one easy item-cardboard.
Cardboard is in high demand to be recycled and it is one of the easiest items to recycle. Director Rowely said, "Cardboard is the biggest commodity, the biggest intake."
Cardboard is broke down into 2 categories that can be recycled-corrugated cardboard and paper boards.
Corrugated is most commonly used for brown boxes and packaging materials but varies in thickness.
Paperboard is thinner and considered a single layer used mostly for things like cereal boxes and shoes boxes.
Rowley said that Kimball cardboard is sent to Western Resources Group in Ogallala, where they either shred it for pet bedding or ship it to Oklahoma to make insulation.
Cardboard is made out of wood fibers and according to Clean River Recycling Solution it takes 3 tons of wood to make one ton of virgin cardboard. The EPA estimated that 24.1 million tons of corrugated cardboard ends up in our landfills.
Recycling cardboard saves trees, conserves energy and reduces pollution with those things in mind it is a great way to start the 2021 New Year.
Cardboard with grease or food stains is not accepted.
Kimball Recycling just received their grant funding. They were recently awarded $115,000, while last year funding grants were capped at $103,000. Kimball Recycling continues to grow and improve. In 2018 they recycled 622,00 pounds, the 2019 numbers increased to 728,000 pounds, and for just nine months of 2020 the Kimball Recycling has loaded out 720,000 pounds of recyclables.