Kimball Recycling Gets Its Money

Keep Kimball Beautiful scored big again in the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy financial awards.

In response to being awarded the money, Director Spud Rowley said, "The totes are coming to the alleyways." He said the totes are in high demand, and he is constantly being asked for alley totes for residents to place recyclables to be collected

The Kimball facility, operational for 42 years and functioning out of the city building for the past 30 years, received three different grants from NDEE.

To aid in management and operation – including collection, processing and transportation of recyclables – the Kimball Recycling Center was awarded a $77,711 grant.

In the category of waste reduction and recycling incentive fund, the Kimball organization received $17,094 for pick-up services for the residential alley recycling program in the Kimball area.

And finally, $24,928 was awarded for public education, which includes educational programs in Kimball and Banner County schools and summer programs, and providing printed materials with City of Kimball utility bills. This public education program also publicizes litter-free events.

The Keep Kimball Beautiful board members have experiences and interests in promoting school, personal and business recycling and good community stewardship. Racking up more than 10 years on the board are Dawn Moser and Eileen Rowley. Debbie Dickerson and Kim Christiansen have just completed their six-year terms and have been re-elected. Completing the seven-member board are Hannah Snyder, Cassady Malm and Jean Gilbert.

The grants are authorized through Nebraska Department of Environment, the Energy Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive Grant program, and the Litter Reduction and Recycling Grants program. These programs help fund litter and waste reduction projects and recycling programs, and pay costs for scrap tire cleanups and collections for household hazardous waste, electronic waste and pharmaceuticals.

Since 1979, grants have been provided through Litter Reduction and Recycling funds, which charge a fee to certain manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of products that commonly contribute to litter.

NDEE awarded $6,697,474 in grants for 132 projects throughout the state promoting waste and litter reduction.

Director Rowley said Keep Kimball Beautiful conducts fundraisers, school recycling, community events, construction recycling, truck wreck recycling, and all community and business recycling. It also takes tires for a small fee.

Rowley said recently, a truck hauling 30,000 pounds of can tops wrecked, and Kimball recycled the 30,000 pounds of aluminum.