A renewal of Emporia’s recycling contract — or a totally new contract — has been on hold for two years now, and it looks like it will remain hold for the foreseeable future.
The contract for Emporia’s Curbit service hasn’t been renewed since 2020 as the recycling market has had several adjustments the last two-plus years. Solid Waste Supervisor Keith Senn had an update on KVOE’s Morning Show earlier this week, saying there was a lot of upheaval after China stopped importing recyclables in 2018.
Senn says cardboard rates increased as other countries began filling the gaps that formed when China left the recycling market.
The city has partnered with Hamm’s Quarries since the Curbit service was established. Hamm’s has said it would honor the terms of the previous agreement. There had been some conversation of a rate increase, perhaps around $1 a month to continue Curbit, but no decision has been made.
Curbit is available to single-family homes and multi-family apartment complexes with four units or less. Glass, most paper, corrugated cardboard and plastics with numbers 1-7 are now accepted.
