By JOHN E. WEARE
KAB
June 30th signals an early summer benchmark with the end of the second quarter of 2026. Through the first six months of the year Keep Alliance Beautiful patrons have recycled 447,693 pounds of material that would have otherwise ended up in area landfills. The figure includes 1,979 pounds of electronics previously unaccounted for from the first quarter. That total is down from the same period in 2025 when KAB processed 461,668 pounds of recyclables for shipment and further processing. However, the second quarters of this year and last were close in total volumes at 206,879 (2026) and 203,028 (2025).
Before examining the numbers closer, I have a correction from my recent “Bag Day” column. The Mission Store offers a $2 bag day on the last Thursday of every month – not the third Thursday.
Volumes for our largest commodity – cardboard – are again following a trend seen in 2025 with larger numbers in the first and third quarters. We baled 136,262 pounds of corrugated cardboard and paperboard (which includes brown paper) this past quarter compared to 146,800 pounds January through March this year.
Mixed paper (including shredded, junk mail, office paper, magazines, newspapers and books without hard covers) was down a few tons this quarter over the last – 32,586 versus 39,049 pounds.
Plastics #1-7 held steady (only down 700 pounds) compared to the first quarter at 11,145 pounds. Other categories varied, amounts are listed in pounds with the first quarter totals in parentheses: Milk Jugs 2,102 (2,037), Steel/tin cans 2,521 (5,713), Aluminum cans 1,048 (2,906), Lick tubs 0 (3,820), Ink cartridges 78 (82), Electronics 3,169 (4,537), Other 3,521 (2,364), Batteries/vapes 182 (0), Glass 8,984 (17,216), Hefty bags 4,170 (4,313), Paint 39 (39) and Car parts 711 (0). “Other” included pill bottles and buckets, though they are within the #1-7 spectrum do not bale well and are shipped in IBC totes.
A dozen loads left our recycling center in the second quarter bound for Western Recycling Group in Ogallala or Keep Kimball Beautiful compared to 14 in the first quarter. Numbers for certain commodities may vary if a large load, such as baled aluminum April-June this year, leaves just before or after the start/end of the quarter.
Keep Alliance Beautiful continues to work on more efficient ways to process what we accept. We have been hiring new members for our crew while working through illness and other absences at the center. A major boost is the addition of a second pickup truck this month after two previous vehicles proved inadequate and inoperational this year.
We encourage our longtime recyclers and people who are interested to use our trailers at Second and Cheyenne in Alliance and behind the former police station on Box Butte in Hemingford, stop by the recycling center at 107 ½ Cheyenne Ave. in Alliance or sign up for curbside service. For information call the recycling center 308-763-1410 or the office 308-762-1729.