By John Weare, Keep Alliance Beautiful
Changing of the seasons signaled the latest status check of the volumes of materials shipped out from the Keep Alliance Beautiful Recycling Center. Thanks to our patrons, staff, volunteers, supporters and hauler the total through three quarters stands a sliver under 35 tons more than 2024.
During the past quarter, what appears to be a record total for recyclables processed/shipped in three months – 284,443 pounds – spurred our numbers to 746,111 pounds by Sept. 30 compared to 676,155 the year before. So . . . the pace is right on to hit a million pounds for the year. However, bulk shipments of cardboard via H & H Sanitation of Alliance during the first and third quarters this year were a bonus in the weight department that might not happen again before the first of the year. Overall, the trend is still positive with commercial and residential recyclers filling bins and trailers as fast (often faster) than we can empty them.
The basics of our materials mix remain the same. Cardboard, during any given year or quarter, accounts for more than half the total volume. Two dozen bales in a semi-trailer (more than a half ton each) from H & H brought the total to 180,999 pounds this past quarter. That compares to 128,603 the previous quarter and 171,353 to open 2025. We baled, on average, 136,216 pounds of cardboard per quarter in 2024.
Three categories have posted steady gains thus far (in pounds): No. 1-7 plastics – 1Q 7,608, 2Q 10,699, 3Q 12,468 (2024 – 15,076); Milk Jugs – 1Q 419, 2Q 2,802, 3Q 3,061 (2024 – no shipment); and, Mixed Paper – 1Q 31,781, 2Q 33,389, 3Q 39,248 (2024 – 31,313). Other materials have fluctuated, yet five other main categories all showed an increase over the third quarter last year (in pounds, 2025/2024): Steel/Tin Cans – 7,578/6,038; Aluminum Cans – 4,299/2,934; Electronics 9,600/6,709 (the 2025 3Q total includes nearly a ton of “e-waste” collected during the City of Alliance City-Wide Clean Up at the landfill Aug. 22-23); Glass 21,280/16,445; and, Hefty Bags 4,539/4,276.
Personnel and equipment considerations affect how quickly what we take in goes out. A full staff coupled with consistent volunteers means a more organized shop and better flow. On the mechanical side we recently added a plug-in electric pallet mover though our workhorse diesel pickup will be retiring before winter. Time to search for a new (to us) pickup as the lift and rack moves to the other Ford F-250.
Trash in the curbside bags also continues to slow things down and is not fair to the diligent employees and volunteers who expect clean, dry contents. With just under three months left in the year I hope to see another record quarter. Thanks to all our recyclers. Maybe there is something you still throw away that you could bring us. Recruit a friend who may toss everything in the Dumpster. Just drive down an alley or visit our local landfill to see the millions of pounds of potential trash that could be recycled.