The City of Clear Lake has announced that effective immediately recycling bins are no longer available for public use at the city’s Public Works Facility, 1419 2nd Ave. S.
“This is the unfortunate result of numerous illegal dumping incidents at the site. Although the Clear Lake Police Department was able to identify several of the violators and issue citations in some cases, it is simply requiring too much police and city staff time investigating these violations,” city officials stated.
Cardboard recycling drop box bins were removed Monday, Oct. 31, for the remainder of the year. Bins for other recyclable materials were taken off the property earlier after the City was notified by its solid waste hauler that its recycling processing center in Mason City would no longer accept materials such as glass, tin, and plastics from large drop box containers.
The City has also modified the hours for yard waste drop off.
The access gate located off of 4th Avenue South will be closed regularly and access will be limited. Site hours announced Monday were 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, through the remainder of the year. However, City Administrator Scott Flory reported Tuesday some seasonal Public Works employees have agreed to pick up some added hours monitoring the yard waste site. This Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 5-6, the site will be open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Flory said the City should be able to offer one evening during the week and Saturday or Sunday through November.
Residents of Clear Lake will still be able to use curbside service for both yard waste (through Nov. 30) and recycling.
The site will continue to be monitored and the Clear Lake Police Department will periodically have an officer present to issue citations to anyone dropping off recycling or other materials despite the absence of the drop-off boxes.
