Monday, November 3, 2008
Not So Fast, Cardboard
Posted by Alex Woodward on Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 10:37 PM
Newsflash to Phoenix Recycling subscribers: start digging through your recyclables and pull out the cardboard. David McDonough of Phoenix sent the following in an email to subscribers:
Effective immediately, we can no longer accept cardboard with mixed paper on residential routes.One of the first signs of economic hardship in the recycling industry is tightening paper markets and falling commodity prices. The mill that buys our paper is now saying they cannot take any type of cardboard in our mixed paper. There is much more material than there is demand right now, so they can be picky. In better markets, they take what they can get — in worse markets, they tell us what they will take. We are trying to find other options so we can start taking cardboard with mixed paper again, as soon as possible.We apologize for the inconvenience and will work to correct this as soon as possible.
Stephen O’Connor, director of business development at Phoenix, explains that with a lack of resources to sort through cardboard and mixed paper (as well as plastic and glass), cutting out cardboard is their only solution if consumers don’t want to see higher rates.
“Some thought we’d raise our cost, we resisted,” he says. “We went against everyone’s advice (to raise rates) when the price of oil went up.”
O’Connor says the company is grateful S-P Recycling Corp. still accepts their materials despite the setback.
Thanks to Maitri Venkat Ramani for alerting the recycling 'hoods.
Comments (3)
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I love New Orleans, but WTF is up with such ass backwards garbage/recycling policies and practices in this city? I have my hunches, but ugh. Maitri, unfortunately almost all citywide recycling efforts in other American cities are tax payer subsidized and would cost more than just normal garbage hauling and landfill stuff. The way the whole system is set up, yes, it actually does cost more to recycle on a large scale effort. (sorting, hauling, transfer stations, labor, etc). Still, bejesus, it is a no brainer really on what the right thing to do is. And don't even get me started on composting efforts and cities...it makes me cry really.
Lizzy, I share your pain. I come from Madison, WI, where they take anything and everything in your recycling and you don't even have to separate. Also, I understand the economy of recycling, but thought the people who buy recycled products would jump at the opportunity during a recession when they actively seek cheaper products to work with. Again, yes, commodity prices are going down thanks to the economy, but this is especially the time to recycle even more.
