Dive Brief:
- A Decatur, IL recycling center that’s been open since 1981 and began as a way to generate funds for social service programs, will close this week.
- The recycling business has changed since the center was started, and Dove can no longer compete.
- Though the recycling center has just one part-time employee who will be laid off, a Dove official also pointed to a rather positive reason for the demise of the mostly volunteer-run recycling center: increased participation by residents in curbside recycling programs, which has lowered volumes collected at the center.
Dive Insight:
A community-focused volunteer-run recycling center was cutting edge in 1981, but recycling is no longer a new thing. What was once a rare spot where residents could take their recyclables to make a bit of cash and an environmental difference, now just can’t compete with the for-profits.
