Sweden supervisor secures recycling center improvement

Through the efforts of Supervisor Nat O. Lester, III, the Town of Sweden has secured a commercial grade compactor for use at the recycling center located at 40 White Road. The compactor is expected to help control costs by reducing the number of trips the trash hauler has to make to Sweden's recycling center.

Lester had contacted the local Chase Pitkin in February to inquire about purchasing its compactor after the store's scheduled closing. Unfortunately, a company had already contracted with Chase Pitkin to purchase the compactors at all of the home improvement chain's stores. However, Lester managed to contact the company and negotiate the price of $3,800 for one of the used compactors.

The purchase was completed last week and the compactor has been delivered to the recycling center. A platform has to be constructed and electricity run to the site. Once those tasks are completed, the compactor will be operational.

The pay-back period for the purchase and installation of the compactor won't be known until it is determined how many fewer hauling trips are made per month.

"The purchase of the compactor is one of our efforts to keep the cost of providing recycling and refuse services affordable for our residents," Lester said. "There is little we can do locally about rising fuel and regulatory costs that drive up refuse collection costs, but we are committed to doing everything we can to provide the services our residents want at a reasonable price."

May 7, 2006