Huxted’s builds a full recycling facility
Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter
Strathmore is slated to be the home of a new top of the line recycling facility, according to Colin Huxted, owner of H&H Huxted.
On April 19, 2012 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the town and Huxted regarding the operations of the recycle park. Huxted officially takes over operations Jan. 2014, but for now there are a few growing pains as they prepare for the new facility.
“The changes that have occurred at the recycle yard are the result of H&H Huxted’s intention to construct a facility down there, they’re going to build a building on the site. We’ve had to kind of shuffle things around to accommodate the future construction of the building,” said Jesse Parker, director of operations and engineering for the town.
“There’s not a lot of space for users in the reduced space that we’ve allocated and so we’ve asked some of our users to park outside of the gates and then walk into the area to give us a little more room to operate and not create an unsafe situation for the operation.”
Though the move may be a pain for now for some recycle yard users, the benefits of the new facility will make things more bearable. The new building will contain a shop, office and a new recycling facility.
“It’s going to have a big baler so we’re not making such a big carbon imprint hauling all that paper and cardboard and plastics in. Instead of hauling it all in to Calgary, we’ll be baling it and when we have a semi load we’ll be shipping it,” said Huxted.
The new facility will be able to accept construction materials like drywall, shingles and lumber. There are also other benefits to the everyday user once H&H Huxted’s takes over operations.
“There will be curbside (recycling), and it’s totally optional. There already is Daisy Recycling; we won’t be affecting them at all it’s just whoever wants the carts. It’s actually a pretty neat system; there are different coloured bags for different products. You put your stuff in the different coloured bags and then into the cart. Then our truck comes by fully automated and it dumps it, it will take it to the plant and it will unload it there,” said Huxted.
He said the bins will fit perfectly in pantries, kitchens and garages; you set the bags up in a little holder and throw your cardboard into one, paper into another and plastic into a third. When full just tie them up and throw them in the plastic cart, set it out and it will be picked up. Huxted said they also plan to offer recycling to county residents, but instead of carts they will have bins. County residents will be able to have a bin sitting in their yard, and that will be dumped once a month or every three months depending on how much it will be used. Huxted predicts the service will probably be the cost of having satellite TV.
Huxted said his plan is to turn it into a total recycling facility that will help reduce Strathmore’s carbon imprint.
“We’ll have the best recycling facility for the size of town in Alberta when we’re finished, and it will save people from having to go to the landfill because most of the stuff we can recycle,” said Huxted.
The 10-year arrangement with the town has Huxted’s taking care of the recycling yard services at its current level of quality at least, if not better. For the first five years there is no cost to the Town, and in the final five years the maximum charge to the Town will be $100,000.