FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — According to the City of Fayetteville, its Recycling and Trash Collection Department is experiencing a recycling driver shortage.
Brian Pugh, the manager of the Waste Reduction department says "Unfortunately, we're faced with a predicament where the industry is lacking CDL drivers. And so that has hit our division hard. And right now we're just short drivers to perform the services,"
Due to this, services for curbside recycling routes for the 18-gallon green bins will be interrupted starting Monday, Sept. 25.
Non-affected services include:
- Residential trash
- Commercial trash
- Commercial recycling routes
- Yard waste collection routes
The City is making an effort to pick up as many recycling bins as possible but warns residents that not all will be serviced as they are currently working to hire drivers
"We typically have 12 drivers for 12 routes. We do the Monday through Thursday collection in Fayetteville. So 12 routes each day, Monday through Thursday. Right now we have about half that number of drivers. So it's been a struggle to try to keep up," Pugh explained.
What do I do with my recyclables?
If your recyclables are not picked up, the City encourages you to use the recycling drop-off locations available 24 hours a day.
Locations:
- Happy Hollow Recycling Drop-Off: 1420 S. Happy Hollow Road
- Marion Orton Recycling Drop-Off: 735 W. North St.
How can I help?
The City reminds residents that it is more helpful when bins are used appropriately. If the bins contain items that do not qualify for recycling, the City says they are not serviced, or "increase sorting time." Here are some tips offered by the City that can help with this issue.
Acceptable recyclables:
- Cardboards: Make sure to flatten them
- Mixed paper: Must be clean and dry. This includes:
- newspapers
- inserts
- white office paper
- magazines
- catalogs
- junk mail
- paperboard boxes such as cereal
- telephone books
- Steel cans: place metal lids inside steel cans
- Aluminum cans
- Plastic #1 and #2 bottles: leave caps on
- Glass bottles and jars: any color is accepted but no ceramics or plate glass
Not accepted:
- Plastic containers (yogurt, Tupperware, takeout)
- Plastic bags
- Polystyrene (#6) or Styrofoam
- Paper cartons (half-gallons of milk, almond or soymilk cartons or boxes)
Reminders:
- Rinse out bins to avoid excess grime and insects
- Do not recycle tobacco products
- Place recycling bins within 6 feet of the curb and at least 3 feet from your trash cart the night before your scheduled trash day
To learn more about how to recycle, click here.
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