4R Recycling Center still set to close March 28

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

Following up on the previous decision by Wayne Baron to close 4R Recycling on March 28, the county court discussed the direction the county should now take in regard to keeping recycling services available to the citizens, during their regular meeting on March 18.

Judge Steve Grasty told the other commissioners that since the announcement of 4R Recycling’s closing, he has received many phone calls in support of continuing recycling. “The community is committed. We just have to figure out what we can do,” he said. Grasty commented that there is a commitment to move ahead, but the challenges include market, distance and quantity.

Grasty reported to the court on a collaborative meeting of representatives from Burns and Hines, the county, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), C&B Sanitary, former members of Rimrock Recycling, 4R Recycling and the community that was held on March 17. According to Grasty, C&B Sanitary is required by law to offer recycling on certain items including newspaper, cardboard, motor oil, ferrous and non-ferrous metal and e-cycling. This would leave a void for recycling plastic and glass.

The baler and the building currently used by 4R Recycling both belong to Harney County. The court agreed that both need to be used so the county can recoup the cost through fees on the baler count, or sold so the county can recoup all of the expenses.

Commissioner Dan Nichols commented that a full-blown recycling center has proven not to be self-sufficient. “They have to be compensated, the revenue has to come from somewhere,” he said.

Commissioner Jack Drinkwater suggested letting the county’s citizens provide insight into what services should be available. “Let the community figure out how they want to support it,” he said.

Baron was in attendance at the county court meeting, and requested that if C&B Sanitary was offered the chance to use the building and the baler, he would like the same opportunity. Baron said he was willing to file for non-profit status, and come up with a business plan to present to the court. “Being a 501C opens some doors to me for some grants.” Baron said he would expect to only pay his expenses and wages, and if there was any profit made, he would purchase and update equipment.

The court’s response was that there was no problem with a non-profit operating a recycle business, but said Grasty, “If I’m going to support a non-profit, I want to know who is on the board, what the plan is and what they’re going to do.”

Nichols suggested to Baron that when forming a proposal, he use a “no-market situation.” Then, if the market goes up, everything above and beyond is “gravy.”

Said Baron, “I just don’t want to give up on the recycling.”