Can Recycling Advances
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Special can collection at dumpsters seems to work
Circle 4 jumped into aluminum-can recycling with a new container receptable near the dumpster. The volunteer project helps raise funds from can recycling that go toward Los Lagos Vistas projects.
The localized can recycling project started in Circle 6 to see if the quantity of cans might increase if depositing them were more convenient. The project did capture more cans because residents could dump cans as they threw their trash out at the dumpster instead of having to trek down to the maintenance area to deposit cans.
The issue came up at a recent HOA Board meeting. The Board had approved a pilot test of the idea by purchasing a container using Social Committee special project funds. The containers cost nearly $100. Joyce Witte led the pilot and Jack Wilhelmi and Mark Holmes helped get cans from the container down to the maintenance area.
Gene Schuessler announced at the Board meeting he purchased a container to help recycle aluminum cans, which opened a discussion about the ongoing pilot project for can recycling.
Gene and others noted that the project doesn't raise a lot of money (the most recent redemption generated $73) but recycling is the right thing to do and keeps cans out of landfills.
The Board is concerned that residents don't jump into projects without considering the consequences, such as putting more work onto the Maintenance Team if residents don't follow through with commitments to take cans to the maintenance area, where they are collected and taken to recyclers.
Such projects can increase HOA demands and costs plus duplicate other work in progress when they aren't coordinated and responsibilities identified.
HOA President Jason Hart said the can project must depend on homeowner participation to get the cans down to the maintenance area for redemption.
It also was noted at the meeting that aluminum cans get higher redemption rates if they are crushed.
So far, residents have only deposited cans and not a lot of other trash. Trash and debris have been common at maintenance and pool receptacles.
