The city still hopes to sort and sell its own materials. Weiman said a consultant is at work on a master plan for the landfill site. Part of the work is to determine whether there s enough space for a materials recovery facility, or MRF, he said. The city also has an offer on the table to buy Civic Recycling. The MRF has been under discussion for as long as curbside recycling and the city s unique beverage container deposit ordinance, which puts a 5-cent deposit on bottles and cans.
Residents get the nickel deposit back when they return used bottles and cans to local stores.
Recycling programs are just one of several efforts the city has made to divert more waste from its landfill. Among the other efforts, two of the most visible are the city s household hazardous waste drop-off and its community mulch sites. Residents can take used oil, batteries and other household hazardous waste to the city s dropoff point at 1313 Lakeview Drive on the first and third Saturdays of the month, April through November. While the amount of waste fluctuates, waste minimization coordinator Cynthia Mitchell said the number of cars passing through has increased steadily since 1991. Columbians also can dispose of yard waste and collect mulch at both Capen Park in southeast Columbia and on Parkside Drive in the northwest.