KILGORE, Texas — Monday marked two months since East Texas' only recycling facility burned down pausing all recycling collection across multiple neighborhoods.
CBS19 has made multiple attempts to know more about the cause of the Rivers Recycling facility fire in Kilgore. In the meantime work is being done to open up the recycling facility. It could be anywhere between nine to 12 months before recycling starts again.
"We’re waiting on the regional facility Rivers Recycling to get the facility back up and going," said City of Tyler Solid Waste Director Leroy Sparrow.
Curbside recycling collection in the city of Tyler has stopped until further notice due to the fire.
"Just to store (your recycling carts) until the program starts back up," Sparrow said.
According to the city of Tyler, accounts will not be charged for the duration of the service pause.
Several East Texas cities use Republic Services for their trash and recycling, but the company has one rate for trash and recycling services. Cities have to agree to be a part of Republic's recycling program, so there is no impact to the rates. For now, curbside recycling is going to the landfill in Marshall, Kilgore, Henderson, Whitehouse, Athens and Winnsboro.
"There’s no other (facility) in town as far as recycling. The closest thing to us is Dallas, so economically for us it’s a whole lot cheaper," said Kim Wallace, sanitation manager for the city of Longview.
Longview is among many cities taking recyclables to landfills.
"(It's on) same days, that hasn’t changed. All that has changed is that we’re taking everything to the Pine Hill landfill," Wallace said.
In last week's city council meeting, the city of Longview said the city will refund recycling fees for its customers starting from when Rivers Recycling closed until the facility reopens.
"That is in the works, so I can’t say when a date (for money distribution) will be," Wallace said.
Residents in Longview can still drop off recycled items to the city's compost site, located at 2020 Swinging Bridge Road.
Residents in Tyler can drop off their recycled items at the city's downtown recycle center, located at 414 North Bois D'Arc Ave.