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If your recycling cart could talk, what stories would it tell?
It might talk about the hundreds if not thousands of bottles, cans, paper and cardboard boxes it has carried through the years. Perhaps it could complain about the -20 degree winters or the 90+ degrees days in the summer and it might simply say, "I'm tired. I've recycled enough for one lifetime."
I get it.
There is a great story behind our recycling carts because we have been using most of them for well over 20 years. If we think about that time frame, smartphones were just getting going, social media was just starting and our recycling carts were already there faithfully doing their jobs. Through it all and despite the Minnesota weather, these carts, for the most part, are performing very well.
In fact, most Lyon County recycling carts have been around for so long, we sometimes view them as part of the family but please do not pack them into the moving truck. The recycling carts are part of the Lyon County family and need to stay with the home that they have been assigned to please. It has a job to do at the house that you are leaving.
With all of this said, even a good recycling cart eventually starts to show its age. We have quite a few carts that have reached the point where they have seen better days. Some have cracked bodies, damaged lids, broken wheels or other problems that make it difficult for them to continue doing their job. That is why Lyon County is currently working on exchanging older carts for newer 95-gallon recycling carts.
At this time, Lyon County is exchanging broken carts as well as carts without a yellow lid for 95-gallon carts. We are not carrying other sizes as part of the current cart replacement program. Occasionally, we do receive a 65-gallon cart that is still in fairly good shape. Sometimes a resident who previously had a 65-gallon cart decides that they would like to move up to a 95-gallon cart. When this happens, we try our best to reserve some of those good 65-gallon carts for residents who would prefer a smaller cart.
There is another reason why we encourage residents to make sure that they have the newer style cart. Current recycling carts should have a green body and a yellow lid. The yellow lid isn't just there to make the recycling cart look cheerful but it also helps to identify the cart as a recycling cart. We have some fantastic recycling collection drivers but sometimes we have drivers from other areas helping us out during recycling week. If a substitute driver comes across a cart with a lid that is colored anything but yellow, they may not realize it is a recycling cart. Unfortunately, that can result in a cart being missed on recycling day. We don't want your recyclables sitting at the curb wondering if the recycling truck is ever coming back.
So, if you see a new recycling cart with a bright yellow lid sitting at a neighbor’s house, don’t be surprised if your own cart gets a little jealous. It may soon be time for an upgrade.
And if your recycling cart has cracks, broken wheels, a damaged lid, or is otherwise looking like it has worked one Minnesota winter too many, give the Lyon County Environmental Department a call at (507) 532-8210 or email us at lyonenvironmental@co.lyon.mn.us
We will be happy to help you determine whether it is time for your recycling cart to retire.
After all, even recycling carts deserve a retirement plan.