DAVENPORT, Iowa — For more than 34 years, Kathy Morris has been involved with the Waste Commission of Scott County, During that time, she says there's been an increase of recyclers in the area.
"I think that more people are recycling because we've made the program easier," Morris said. "We're really pleased with the participation but it also means we had to step up and make it easier for all parties."
A program that involves the collection of several items, including paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass. There's been an increase in collecting these recyclables in the last 20 years as 60% more of Davenport and Bettendorf residents recycle.
"There's about a two-hour radius around us of material that comes to this facility," Recycling Operations Manager Bryce Stalcup said. "Back in '95, we were collecting about seven to nine thousand tons a year. Today, we are processing over 40,000 tons a year."
To keep up with the demand, the Scott Area Recycling Center received an upgrade, as three optical sorters were installed, as well as an AI system. The new equipment will help sort materials at a rate of 600 to 900 items per minute. In comparison, a person can only sort 35 to 50 at the same rate. Additionally, they will be able to process these items at 11.5 tons per hour, a 1.5x increase.
"You're probably looking at 10 to 12 semi trucks a week that would otherwise come to the landfill when people don't recycle," Morris said. "We are pleased to see the participation in recycling and we hope to see it grow more."
The project also includes an additional capacity of 1,665 tons per year increasing recyclables that can be received from Scott County.
Residents can drop off their recyclables at the center Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
