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Mason City approves recycling contract with Absolute Waste Removal

The city of Mason City has approved a new recycling contract with Absolute Waste Removal of Clear Lake beginning in January.

Absolute Waste Removal is a locally owned garbage hauling business. At its facility at 4005 Seventh Ave. N., it is currently constructing a new facility to sort and bale recyclable items, with test runs planned for mid-December. 

Dave Massey, general manager of Absolute Waste, said the partnership is one that will benefit the community. “There’s a growing demand for recycling services. We’re in talks with other communities already about taking their recycling as well.”

Mason City Administrator Aaron Burnett said, at least at first, there will be no change for residents.

“The recyclable materials accepted are nearly identical with the minor addition of colored glass and aerosol cans to our recyclable list. The city sanitation crews will handle the pickup 100% as they did previously. We are working to update some of our educational materials for residents and we will get these posted soon,” Burnett said.

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Operations and Maintenance Manager Bill Stangler is working closely with Absolute Waste to determine what items can be recycled, and he intends to educate residents with flyers and inserts in the monthly water bill.

During the Nov. 7 council meeting, Councilman Will Symonds asked if Absolute would be able to handle all of Mason City’s recycling. City Finance Director Brent Hinson said it will. Symonds said he often hears from residents that breaking down cardboard is a hassle they’d rather not deal with.

Hinson was sympathetic and encouraging.

“Once things are in place, the new processor will be able to take everything single stream so that opens it up to the idea that you could have a single container that’s just dumped and taken all together to the recycler.”

Councilman Paul Adams asked if the city would have to upgrade containers or equipment to bring single stream recycling online. Hinson believes that for ease of collection, that will eventually come before the council, but for now, collection will continue as it has in the past.

For the next year or so, residents will continue to use the blue recycling boxes and place them on the curb along with their regular garbage pickup. 

Massey is pleased with the pace of construction. “We’ll receive the last electrical components this week and should have it wired up by next week. The equipment should be in by the first week of December, and we’ll run some test runs.”

Burnett said the contract with Absolute Waste is a private contract to replace the previous provider. “City crews will essentially be performing the same job, the materials are just going to a different company.”

Recyclables are baled at the Absolute Waste facility and sold to a material recovery facility.

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