Ledger-Dispatch

By Kelly Scott (kenos@ledger-dispatch.com) =

A recent increase in visitors to Amador = Recycling=20 in Sutter Creek and a reduction in holding spaces has added to = street=20 traffic.

Photo by: Kelly=20 Scott
Those who utilize Amador Recycling in = Sutter=20 Creek may have noticed the lines are getting longer, which may be a = result of=20 both a decreased supply and greater demand.

Sutter Creek resident = Mike=20 Reed, who uses the recycling center on Academy Drive, told the Ledger = Dispatch=20 that the center's three holding spaces had shrunk down to = one.

"It has=20 become a disaster at this point," he said of the resulting traffic. "I = utilize=20 the center about every four to five months when I get a full=20 truckload."

Amador Disposal Service's Jason Kraft said that was = the norm=20 for many county residents, who he estimated typically waited "about six = months"=20 before bringing in their recycling. But a recent increase in customer = counts has=20 had ADS looking at ways to stem traffic flow issues.

"Maybe it is = economical reasons, but we have seen a large upturn in customers," Kraft = said.=20

According to Kraft, a change is taking place in how recycling = business=20 will be done at the Sutter Creek center. "Next week, maybe, we are going = to try=20 and implement a 'loop' process to try and control the traffic," he=20 said.

The Amador County Public Works Department's waste = management=20 division manages the storage, collection and transportation of solid = waste. The=20 division is also responsible for the implementation and promotion of = recycling=20 and waste diversion programs like Amador Recycling, which offers = drop-off and=20 buy-back centers.

The loop process ADS is considering is intended = to=20 better simplify the lanes customers use who are dropping off newspapers, = as=20 opposed to those who are using the buy-back service for their California = Refund=20 Value items.

Reed will wait to see how it works.

"I'm not = quite=20 sure what the loop means," he said. "I can speculate that a vehicle = would move=20 from bin to bin."

At least one other resident in the area of = Academy=20 Drive has also noticed the increase in traffic. According to Pam = Williams, who=20 drops her children off at school near the recycling center, it is=20 bothersome.

"Cars and trucks will be lined up to go to the = recycling=20 place and it makes it difficult to get past them on some mornings," she = said.=20 Williams added that there are also several "dump trucks" or garbage = trucks that=20 are lined up and hold up the traffic flow.

"I'm not sure why they = are=20 coming here," she said. "I thought garbage was dumped only in the=20 landfill."

Currently, there are no solid waste sites in the = county as the=20 Amador Landfill in Buena Vista is in a closure phase. There are two = transfer=20 stations - one located in Pine Grove and the Western Amador facility - = and 10=20 closed sites that are inspected annually.

"To make a long answer = short,=20 there is nothing on a grand scale," Kraft said. "We are looking at = changing the=20 flow of traffic to better serve the increase of customer counts. We are = getting=20 a lot of drop-offs."

Kelly = Scott