York County won’t take mixed recycling due to coronavirus. When to expect the change.
Recycling will have to wait, as York County halts a widespread service due to COVID-19 coronavirus.
On Thursday evening Tega Cay updated its residents with information from the county. It stated mixed recycling would be suspended temporarily at the county facility starting March 23. Anything left out in a recycle cart will be collected, but taken to a landfill.
The city information states there won’t be any change to operations at the 16 county convenience centers that collect trash and recycling. Residents still can send sorted recycling at those locations.
According to information from the county included in the Tega Cay notice, county recycling center employees are particularly susceptible to the close quarters many now try to avoid through social distancing.
“This operation requires a staff of 20+ employees working in close proximity; discouraging the practice of social distancing,” it reads. “Additionally, staff is in direct contact with materials collected throughout the community. We determined that it is in the best interest of our employees and the citizens of York County that this operation be suspended to help minimize the chances of community spread of the COVID-19 virus.”
The notice states the change is temporarily but in place until further notice.
York County sent out its own release a little before 11 a.m. Friday confirming the decision.
“It is in the best interest of our employees and the citizens of York County that this operation be suspended to help minimize the chances of community spread of the COVID-19 virus,” said Trish Startup, county spokesperson.
A county recycling change has a wide impact. York County built a new recycling center as part of an $89 bond referendum in 2015. The county has contracts with Tega Cay, Fort Mill and others to take mixed recyclables. Changes in recent months to which items can be recycled spanned much of the county.
Recycling is one of many public services at the county, state or local levels to change due to coronavirus. Just this week York County, alone modified operations at it animal shelter, courts, parks, libraries, museums and more.
On Friday morning York County announced a new online resource hub to keep up with coronavirus changes. It’s available at covid19-yorkcosc.hub.arcgis.com.
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 11:28 AM.
