Switch from curbside recycling to drop-off sites leads to 56 percent increase in material collected

QUINCY — The annual report from the City of Quincy’s Recycling Division showed the city collected 2.833 million pounds of material from May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024.

Quincy Mayor Mike Troup happily announced a 56 percent increase in recyclable materials collected during Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting.

“We wanted to see the increase. We wanted to maintain the sites and keep them clean,” Troup said after the meeting. “We knew (the volume) was increasing because we are charged based on the hauling fee. Each month, we knew it was going in the right direction, right. So yeah, I’m pleased with the results. 

“I use (one of the drop-off recycling sites) at least once a week myself. I can’t tell you the number of people who have stopped me out there and say, ‘You know, we weren’t in favor of this, but this is working out wonderfully. When we have a lot, we can drop it off. We don’t have to wait for the end of the week.’”

Troup cast the deciding vote to break a 7-7 tie on Sept. 12, 2022, to discontinue the city’s curbside recycling program. Recycling drop-off sites at the Harrison Hy-Vee, 1400 Harrison, Refreshment Services Pepsi, 1121 Locust, and the former County Market location at 48^th and Broadway opened for public use in March 2023. 

Troup said another benefit for the city is that neighborhoods are cleaner.

“One of the problems with curbside recycling was that on a windy day, material was blowing around the neighborhood,” he said.

Troup said he doesn’t believe the drop-off program has any negatives, and the number of complaints he’s heard is low. He said the city had considered adding a fourth drop-off location but decided against it.

“We’re reviewing (the program) internally on a quarterly basis to say, ‘OK, what do we need to do?’” Troup said. “Right now, I don’t believe any kind of modifications are necessary.”

Recyclable materials collected in Quincy: May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024

In other action during Monday’s 28-minute meeting, aldermen:

• Approved a special event application from Adam Fenton, owner of Threshold of Pain tattoo shop, 701 Maine, to hold the “American Downtown Classic Car and Art Show” from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday in downtown Quincy. 
• Approved the Quincy Notre Dame football committee’s request to conduct a raffle beginning May 20. 
• Approved a request by Kathleen Helsabeck, director of the Quincy Public Library, to waive an ordinance preventing alcohol to be delivered to a building belonging to or under the control of the city for the 50th celebration of the library building at 526 Jersey from 5:30-7 p.m. Friday. 
• Approved Troup’s appointments of Alderman Jake Reed (R-6) to the Quincy Preservation Commission and Blake Scheer to the Bet on Q Committee.
• Approved an agreement, voting as Quincy Township, with the Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials to lease first-floor space of the Quincy Township Center for a three-year period with a rental rate of $2,350 per month.
• Approved the purchase of ammunition for the Quincy Police Department’s Glock pistols and 9mm pistole from Ray O’Herron of Danville for $18,580. 
• Approved an agreement with the SpyGlass Group LLC to audit the city’s telecommunications service billing (local and long-distance voice billing, Internet and data line billing, including wireless billing). The process is expected to take three to four weeks.
• Reauthorized the Bring Events to Quincy (BET on Q) grant program and committed $150,000 from the city’s economic growth fund. Since its inception in 2021, the program has approved 28 grants to incentivize the establishment of new events or expand existing events to bring more out-of-town visitors to the city.
• Authorized the creation of the Quincy Legacy Events Grant Program, committing $100,000 to support legacy events that bring people to Quincy and improve the local quality of life. 
• Approved buying 13 sets of bunker gear for $42,096 from Municipal Emergency Services.
• Approved spending $188,000 with Tournear Roofing Company to replace the Central Fire Station roof. 
• Approved contract with Lexipol LLC for $40,732.20 for a program to update all policies and procedures with training. 
• Approved paying $7,540 to Sentinel Emergency Solutions of St. Louis for annual service and maintenance of the self-contained breathing apparatuses.