North Carolina ABC businesses must now recycle
Published April 17, 2008 by Sabrina GordonStarting in January 2008 a new state law requires all restaurants with a ABC permit to recycle all plastic, aluminum and glass containers consumed on their premises. Glass bottles will be the most materials that will be generated for recycling. The law was originally passed in 2005,then it was modified in August 2007 to lessen the impact of the law’s enforcement. Businesses that fail to comply with the state law will not lose their ABC Permit, but those seeking a permit renewal or applicants for a permit must submit and prepare a plan for recycling beverage containers.
Many businesses will have a challenge in finding a way to have the materials removed from their premises. Also smaller businesses may have a problem with the temporary storage of the recyclable materials. Coordinator of Dare County Recycling Carl Walker said many of the businesses are already recycling. He also stated that many businesses had contacted the county and were told that the county provides pick up of the materials from businesses twice a week. The county will continue to provide the service, provided that it is within the county’s capability.
The county currently does not have the manpower or the funding to provide recycling pickup for all the businesses with an ABC permit. Restaurants have the option of taking materials to any recycling center. Kitty Hawk’s Ocean Boulevard Bistro & Martini Bar manager, Kent Olson said that the restaurant was recycling even before this law went into effect, but now the regular recycling pickup service from their premises stopped. When they inquired as to why they were told that the previously free service would now have a monthly fee! “It’s frustrating that when we recycled voluntarily, it was free, but now that it’s mandated, there’s a fee”, said Olson.
StripersStripers Bar and GrManteon Manteo, reports no problems with the new law. They started their program on January first, but they Manteof Manteo only provides pickup in the central business district, so they have a contract with a private company operated by one of their employees to pickup their recyclable materials. Casey Garner and her partnSurmick Surmick have started a company called Bottle Drop. The company develops recycling plans for businesses and provides recycling pickup for a fee. The fee for pickup correlates to the amount of materials to be hauled and Bottle Drop has accessManteoe Manteo recycling center 24 hours a day.
The impact of the new law won’t be known until more businesses reapply for their ABC permits after being closed for the winter months. “It’s a touchy subject that we’ll have to play by ear,” said Walker.
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