by Robert Nolte
WORDEN — Trying to find the recycle bins in Worden?
Look behind Huntley Project Junior High School. The bins that were at Farmer’s Union Co-op were moved there recently by Allied Waste Services.
The senior’s sociology class is doing a project on recycling and asked Allied for a recycle bin where they could put newspapers, cans and other recyclables. Apparently, the company honored the request by simply moving the bins from Farmer’s Union to the school.
“Just so the community has at least one recycle bin,” was the attitude of Kirk Marzolf, general manager of the co-op.
John Whitman, operations manager for Allied Waste Services in Billings, said many of the company’s recycle containers are located at schools and noted that proceeds from the recycled products go back into the communities.
In this case, proceeds will go to Huntley Project Schools and, depending on the volume of recycled goods, that could be “a couple hundred dollars” every time the bins are emptied, according to Whitman. Allied donates the containers and transportation of recycled materials to the company’s processing plant in Billings.
Allied has recycling bins at the schools in Lockwood, Shepherd, Custer, Laurel, Roundup and eight or nine throughout Billings.
Currently, Huntley has no recycle bins. However, Steve Erb says he is working on getting one and contemplates pouring a concrete pad on which to set the bins at Barkemeyer Park. They could be located in the back of the park near the railroad tracks or next to the restrooms. “It’s in the work,” said Erb, president of the Huntley Community Club that maintains Barkemeyer Park.
Whitman said he would consider a request to locate a recycle container in Huntley. He said his company “is heavily involved in recycling.” He noted that aluminum cans generate the most monetary return and newspapers the least, with prices often varying based on demand
