Group will provide short-term can, bottle collection

City hopes others will offer to collect as fundraisers

A can and bottle drop-off location will soon be available in Clear Lake— however it may only be a temporary recycling option.

The Clear Lake City Council gave its approval to a request from the Clear Lake C.A.R.E.S. Post Prom Committee Monday night to re-establish the recycling bin formerly operated by the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and One Vision in the parking lot located south of Randy’s Neighborhood Market on 1st Avenue South.

According to Mayor Nelson Crabb, the C.A.R.E.S. group will collect recyclable cans and bottles through March 15 as a fundraiser.

Council members agreed to the plan, but added they are hopeful another group will take over the operation and keep the recycling option available year-round.

“It is one of those programs that if the right pieces fell into place it’s a relatively easy program to resurrect,” said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tim Coffey.  “It’s a problem to find a sustaining partner to sort the cans by brand— of which there are more than 80— and it’s a messy project.”

Coffey said he is still exploring options to return the service to Clear Lake on a year-round basis.

“The bottom line is the money.  It’s a state problem that they still pay the five-cent deposit fee that they established in the 1970s.  Businesses are losing money with their overhead and staff costs,” he added.

One Vision and the Chamber halted the collection effort July 25 after 20-years.    Funds collected by the project had been split between One Vision (formerly Opportunity Village) and the Chamber of Commerce Fireworks Fund. In 2016, Chamber of Commerce received just over $17,000 as a result of can and bottle donations.