Powell Valley Recycling faces uncertain future

Posted 12/15/15

“That’s recycling everywhere. There’s not a recycling business right now that doesn’t have an uncertain future,” said Myron Heny, longtime board member for Powell Valley Recycling.

The nonprofit organization has been “in a state of …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Powell Valley Recycling faces uncertain future

Posted

Center remains open under new hours

Powell Valley Recycling remains open for now, but the nonprofit center faces an uncertain future amid dwindling prices for recyclable materials.

“That’s recycling everywhere. There’s not a recycling business right now that doesn’t have an uncertain future,” said Myron Heny, longtime board member for Powell Valley Recycling.

The nonprofit organization has been “in a state of flux” since the recent retirement of its longtime operations manager, Mary Jo Decker, Powell Valley Recycling board member Marynell Oechsner wrote in a letter to the editor in today’s edition. In addition to Decker’s retirement, two board members also resigned, Oechsner said.

With commodity prices for recyclables at an all-time low, the center has been operating in the red and cannot afford to hire another manager or additional staff, she continued.

However, volunteer board members and the center’s employees are doing what they can to keep the doors open, Oechsner wrote.

Last week, rumors of the center’s closure circulated after a board member told some agencies the recycling center was closing, Heny said.

“Contrary to what is being rumored, at this time the Powell Valley Recycling Board has not made any decision to close the doors,” Oechsner wrote.

She said what’s certain is that the nonprofit center cannot continue to operate as it has over the years. Powell Valley Recycling started in the early 1990s.

The recycling board is meeting today (Tuesday) to look at several options for the future, Heny said.

“We’re going to give it a shot,” he said. “We don’t want to abandon anything.”

The center’s hours were recently reduced to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We are open until the end of the month with our new hours,” Heny said. “We’re going to see how that works out.”

If an organization or group has a large load of recyclables to drop off, he asked they call the center during its normal hours to arrange a time to unload and handle the materials.

In addition to recyclables from Powell, the center receives tons of materials from around the Big Horn Basin. Oechsner said the board has had to curtail recyclables from nearby communities because the center doesn’t have enough help to handle all of the materials.

“The problem is that by curtailing materials received, Powell Valley Recycling revenues will drop further and will be further in the red,” Oechsner wrote. “Powell Valley Recycling’s doors cannot continue to stay open if these problems continue.”

She said more financial support is needed from communities, businesses and residents around the Big Horn Basin.

City of Powell residents pay $2 on their monthly utility bills and the money is passed directly to the recycling center; Park County also provides financial support.

Heny said the nonprofit organization will continue recycling if they can break even.

“We’re not in it to make money,” Heny said. “We’re just in it to break even.”

Oechsner said the board welcomes volunteers as well as ideas.

Comments