Sunday, June 14, 1998
Recycling made easy &endash; center opens in Fostoria
By Malinda Ruble
Staff Writer
FOSTORIA -- Seneca County residents, especially Fostoria citizens, now have a new recycling center to visit.
Mick Torok, president of NAT Transportation of Bradner, opened the NAT Fostoria Area Recycling Drop Off Center this month at the former Fostoria Foundry site on North Main Street.
''We're doing a very limited controlled recycling project,'' he said.
The center will take aluminum and bi-metal cans, steel cans, clear and colored glass jars and bottles, newspapers, phone books and green bar computer paper.
All of the items will be recycled for future use.
Torok said he decided to open the center after having success with the drop off site in Bradner for the past five years.
''Our market area is such we've tried curbside and it has been a dismal failure. Folks are hesitant to pay, but they dropped off almost a half of a million pounds last year. What we started (in Bradner) was a program similar to what we're starting here with limited hours and items so we don't become overwhelmed,'' he said.
Torok said Fostoria Mayor Jim Bailey and Zoning Inspector Dale Helms helped get the center off of the ground by helping to find a suitable location.
''They assisted quite a bit in finding a location and they were responsible for introducing me to Wayne Posey, who owns the building,'' he said.
Torok said he is looking forward to the opportunity to further serve the area.
''Anybody who shows up and has items prepared the way we want them is welcome. I don't care what part of the country they come from nor do we care who their trash hauler is. We're doing it to expand our market area. I have the feeling if folks use this who aren't our customers they might become our customers,'' he said.
In the future, Torok said he hopes to expand the Fostoria program.
''My hope is that we can expand as time goes on. It depends on the community's use of the program and on the support from the Ottawa/Sandusky/Seneca Solid Waste District or other sources to help us fund equipment for other commodoties,'' he said.