ELKO, Nev. (AP) — Elko officials are working on community outreach and education to improve the northern Nevada city's recycling program.
The Elko Daily Free Press reportsthat Elko Sanitation site manager Jared Martin says contamination in the city's recycling is costly and is keeping the system from being effective.
Elko pays to transport recyclables to Salt Lake City each week. Recyclables cost $25 a ton, but Martin says the city is charged twice as much for any materials that are contaminated. Margo Teague, who conducted a study on recycling in Elko, says contamination rates are so high in some neighborhoods that recycling is just collected in the garbage truck.
The city and sanitation company plan to conduct presentations in schools about the recycling program. Martin says parents seem to behave better if the kids are on board.