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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 2018)
OCTOBER 12, 2018, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A7 Recycling reset still faces local challenges By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes If you’re wondering wheth- er that plastic container you have can be recycled under the new recycling rules in Marion County, here’s a pro tip from Reed Carlson, recycling co- ordinator for the Mid-Valley Garbage Recycling Associa- tion: “Turn it in your hand so that you are looking at the opening of the container, if the opening is smaller than the rest of the container, it can prob- ably be recycled,” Carlson said. Colored plastics that meet that condition are also fi ne. Recycling changes were the topic of the night during a Community Conversation hosted by the Keizer Cham- ber of Commerce on Wednes- day, Sept. 26. Earlier this year, the area’s garbage haulers had to hit a reset button on what could be recycled because of changes on the international level. China, which had long been the largest buyer of American recycled goods, raised the stan- dard for the level of contami- nation it was willing to accept. Local recycling facilities strug- gle to meet the new levels of acceptable contamination and it led to changes in what is ac- cepted at curbside bins. Recently, area haulers have begun charging for non-recy- clable goods still showing up in blue bins. Here are the biggest chang- es: • Only empty, clean and dry bottles and jugs larger than 12 ounces should be placed in the KT on vacation Submitted photo Janie and Dennis Spencer took their Keizertimes along on a trip to Las Vegas' California Club. You too can have your photo in the Keizertimes. Simply take the paper to your destination, snap a picture with you and your group holding it, and send the photo along with everyone’s fi rst and last names to kt@ keizertimes.com. recycle bin. • Steel and aluminum cans can still be recycled. • No tubs (think peanut butter, spreadable butter, pasta sauce or mayonnaise) or clamshells – even if they have the recycling symbol on them. • No fi lm plastics such as plastic bags or cling wrap. • No cold storage boxes from frozen meals. • No foil, aerosol cans or scrap metal. • No shredded paper. After decades of trying to get more people to recycle, and China’s history of giving the West Coast an easy way to offl oad recyclable materi- als, reversing the tide is likely going to require time and ef- fort from all sectors, said Greg Dittman, operations manager for Valley Recycling and Dis- posal. “It’s a very complicated is- sue because producers want that little logo on their prod- ucts and it makes us feel good. It’s a matter of shifting percep- tions of recycling,” Dittman told the more than two dozen attendees. In that vein, it might re- quire a return to mayonnaise jars made of glass which are easier to manage when they re-enter the waste stream. Such change will most likely require consumers putting pressure on companies to shift “We need to fi nd our best selves to solve this problem.” — Greg Dittman Valley Recycling their practices. “Keep the end market in mind and what happens when [garbage and recycling] gets to its destination. We need to fi nd our best selves to solve this problem,” Dittman said. Keizer Florist spreads good will with free fl owers On Thursday, Oct. 24, Keizer Flo- rist will be participating in the Society of American Florists “Petal it Forward” movement. The effort is intended to show more people the positive impact that fl owers have in spreading happiness, and as a way to bring something positive to the com- munity. The store, located at 631 Chemawa Road N.E., will be handing out free two- fl ower bouquets, one to keep and one to share with someone you know or some- one you don’t. Volunteers are also needed to and fl ow- ers out on the day of the event, contact the store at 503-930-9035 to help out. Fire district seeks levy renewal on Nov. ballot By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes Keizer Fire responded to a record 5,419 Emergency Medical Services last year, which would not have been possible if not for a levy passed fi ve years ago. On the November ballot, Keizer residents will have the opportunity to renew that levy, for another fi ve years, at the current rate—59 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The Keizer Fire District Board of Directors voted unanimously in July to seek voter approval of the funding measure, which would pro- vide staffi ng to respond to fi re and medical emergencies and pay for the costs of the dis- trict’s 911 dispatch services. KFD’s call volume has in- creased 45 percent since 2012, including 15.7 percent last year. The district responded to Change hurt HOPE into Interested in learning more about Liberty House? We host tours every fi rst Tuesday of the month or by appointment. The tour is an up-close look at our child-friendly facility with an opportunity to hear about our work with children and families. Learn more about the issue of child abuse, how to be protective of children, and how Liberty House helps children and families to be healthy and safe. Join us for Tours on Tuesdays 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. RSVP to Adrienne Christian 503.540.0288 achristian@LibertyHouseCenter.org 385 Taylor Street NE, Bldg 1 (Just south of Keizer) 93 percent of the calls within six minutes. Oregon law requires levies to be renewed every fi ve years. The levy is not a request for new funds. The fi re district’s perma- nent tax rate is $1.3526 per $1,000 of assessed property value, which the board has determined is insuffi cient to maintain the present level of service for the next fi ve years. To fund operations, the dis- trict required the levy funding to meet emergency response needs in the community. If the levy is approved, Keizer Fire District would continue to have a lower rate for fi re and EMS than the City of Salem or Marion County Fire District. KFD, which is served by 20 volunteer and 35.5 career per- sonnel, has provided ambu- lance services since the 1990s.