By JOHN E. WEARE
KAB
Keep Alliance Beautiful took part in last night’s homecoming parade. I pulled a float with three of our newest recycling center crew members on board: Recycling Coordinator Matt Martin and recycling assistants Reno Whirlwind Horse with his son and Tino Caudell with his three children. My son rounded out the group. Former executive director Kathy Worley and Education Coordinator Emma Steffy each painted “KAB” on either side to fit the Rio theme. Shop supervisor Josh Fairley suggested we take part and it was a fun way to start the fourth quarter of 2026
The float showed people along the route two of the main materials KAB processes with a nearly 900-pound cardboard bale at the rear and two boxes at the front where plastic was shoveled from one to the other cruising up Box Butte Avenue. Cardboard highlighted our third quarter volumes with the best mark of the year at 151,374 pounds. Electronics (4,815 pounds) and Hefty bags (4,953 pounds) also did better than the first two quarters. However, the total volume of 673,524 through September 30 was off 2026’s record-setting pace of 746,111 pounds.
This year’s Third Quarter totals with 2025 numbers in parentheses (in pounds): Cardboard 151,374 (180,999), No. 1-7 Plastics 8,975 (12,468), Milk Jugs 2,057 (3,061), Steel/tin cans 4,806 (7,578), Aluminum cans 953 (4,299), Mixed paper 32,986 (39,248), Ink cartridges 0 (28), Electronics 4,815 (9,600), Other 824 (253), Glass 14,088 (21,280), Hefty bags 4,953 (4,539), and Paint 0 (1,090).
Of course we aim to increase volumes collected, processed and shipped every year as a mechanism to reduce what ends up in local landfills and provide input for new products that may have otherwise come from raw materials. The first challenge is to continue to recruit new recyclers and educate the public on options for recycling through KAB. In turn, staff on our end is striving to improve on ensuring the public has the capacity to recycle through the option of their choice, such as emptying the trailers at the recycling center and in Hemingford when or before they fill to capacity. We have also begun to post when a trailer has been emptied on our Facebook page. Still, I encourage more of our patrons to utilize the recycling center itself during business hours – 8 a.m, - 3 p.m. Monday - Friday. Instead of setting a 55-gallon bag of plastic next to a trailer with plenty of room, drive it down the alley and we’ll take that bag and anything else and dump your recyclables where they go in a few minutes. This saves everybody time. Besides the trailers or drop offs numerous businesses recycle with IBC totes provided by KAB. Call our office at 308-762-1729 for information on curbside options for our senior, paid (single stream/unsorted) and pilot (sorted) options.
Whether we’re at a record pace or not the recycling center is always bustling with activity. I encourage anyone who has never been there to stop by and see how we can serve you. We are always looking for volunteers to tackle a project or maybe just lend a hand during a busy afternoon. In about a month or so I hope to have a group willing to process a load of hardback books. Thanks to our staff and everyone who gives us so much to do for caring about our community.