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ECUA Pauses Recycling Facility Operation Due To Staffing Shortage
April 14, 2023
ECUA’s recycling facility will not be processing mixed recyclables for several weeks due to a “staff turnover”; instead, the recyclables will go into the landfill.
During the period, ECUA will be working to hire and train employees for the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).
However, the MRF will continue to receive and process source-separated recyclables, primarily cardboard. Mixed recyclables such as those collected from residences at the curb cannot be processed safely and effectively until the facility is again operational and fully staffed.
“During this interruption in plant operation, the ECUA requests that its customers continue to separate materials for recycling, as usual, to remain in that practice,” ECUA Public Information Office Nathalie Bowers said. “In a similar vein, ECUA will continue to collect recycling cans with a recycling collection vehicle, as it normally does. However, we have no choice but to landfill these materials as they cannot be processed for recycling until the MRF facility is fully operational. We currently estimate resuming operations in four weeks or less, and are doing our best to expedite this process.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
22 Responses to “ECUA Pauses Recycling Facility Operation Due To Staffing Shortage”
Any up date on when it will reopen?
REGARDING:
“Some plantation owners paid their slaves a stipend for their labor. Does that mean slavery didn’t exist in the antebellum South?”
A very silly question. Does the existence of A prove the nonexistence of B? Obviously not. It means nothing other than the existence of A.
AND
“Some prisons pay their prisoners a stipend for performing labor (usually between $0.50-$2.00/hour), but it is not a requirement.”
Even if they were paid nothing, it is not slavery if they worked because they wanted to. There are non-monetary rewards: a chance to be somewhere else, a chance to be doing something, a chance to learn or hone a skill. Forced labor is a requirement for slavery.
David for truth
@Jimbo
$15/hour was a barely livable wage 10 years ago. Now? It’s a joke.
I don’t care if a job is a “fresh out of high school” job or a “requires a masters degree” job: it should pay enough to afford food, shelter, and the basic necessities required to provide for yourself.
And again, it’s 2023, not 1823. I can’t believe I’m having to say this, but “slave labor is bad”. Forcing incarcerated people to perform unpaid manual labor is not a good thing, especially in a country that claims to be “The Land of the Free”.
@Bob
If they had said $15 per hour just 3 years ago, everyone would be complaining as to the high wages being the reason their ECUA bills were so high.
This is a starter job and as such $15 per hour is a fair wage. It requires no real training or certification, no college degree, etc. Due to this you learn as you go and get paid accordingly.
As far as using prisoners. Who really cares. I am sure that most of the prisoners if given the opportunity would happily go to work rather than sit around. (I worked in a prison at one time and this I can assure you). It also gives a possible employer an idea of their work ethics prior to their entering civilian life again. We, as taxpayers, should be happy to get some of our money back from labor, much as we do with road crews.
@David Huie Green
Some plantation owners paid their slaves a stipend for their labor. Does that mean slavery didn’t exist in the antebellum South?
Some prisons pay their prisoners a stipend for performing labor (usually between $0.50-$2.00/hour), but it is not a requirement. Courts have repeatedly held that prisoners are not protected by the Constitution against involuntary servitude.
REGARDING:
“The fact that our country still uses slave labor is an embarrassment.”
Actually, it doesn’t. Unless there has been a recent change,the requirements of slavery are not met. The workers to be slaves must be forced to work and not paid in any manner.
Pay is typically low, but there IS payment. They are fed, clothed, housed, provided medical care whether they work or don’t, so it’s not a case of “eat or starve.” It is more like “work or be bored.” That motivates some.
Offering the opportunity should be interesting. Allowing them to keep some or all of the proceeds of what they recovered might be fairly motivational.
If it didn’t work out, at least you tried and shouldn’t be any worse off.
David for better people
$15/hour starting wage? No wonder they’re having a hard time filling the position. Who in their right mind would be willing to work in garbage (no pun intended) conditions like that for a salary that can’t even afford a 1br apartment?
@M
Absolutely not. The fact that our country still uses slave labor is an embarrassment. Prison should be about public safety and rehabilitation, not private corporations renting out human beings.
My spouse retired from ECUA having driven a garbage truck for many years. Most days his truck was full. If the truck wasn’t full at the end of his route he would be sent to help on another route. So, the need to run the same amount of trucks is there. I understand the ECUA still asking to stay in the habit of separating garbage from recyclables. For some that’s not a usual habit as they use their recycling can as a second garbage can. Good luck to the ECUA in finding people that want to work.
How about taking a bus load of prisoners over there and put them to work. Let them work for food.
REGARDING:
“the same amount of “stuff” is going to require the same amount of “truck space” to transport. Running fewer trucks only means each one will fill up faster and need to make more trips to the landfill and back, reducing how much each truck can carry in one day”
This assumes every truck is always full at the end of its route. If it were three quarters full, it could run a third longer. Half full would be twice as far. I have no idea how full each one or the average is. I doubt they each drive until they reach capacity, though. (Maybe they do. Maybe I’ll check with my good friend who used to do it before she decided she’d rather carry children again.)
I know we send out recyclables much less often than regular trash. That doesn’t mean anyone else does as we do although one would suspect so.
I don’t pretend to know the best way to gather garbage but suspect it might be more complicated than some think. One thing I do know for certain is that garbage is mostly composed of something formerly useful so it should still be with some work and rethinking. Remember gasoline used to be considered the waste from refining petroleum to get kerosene. Just need to adjust attitudes a mite.
David for recognizing treasure
Bill,
You are wrong…that would be the City of Century!!!
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Bill on April 14th, 2023 8:23 am
Absolutely the poorest run organization in Escambia County continues to amaze me with these foolish decisions. The State needs to step in and reorganize the entire management staff
From the EUEC Website:
MRF Maintenance Technician
Full Time – $31,200.00 – $51,480.00 Annually (Starting pay is $15/hour)
Benefits: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Retirement plans, Tuition Reimbursement, Long Term Disability, Annual leave, sick leave, and 10 paid holidays + 3 floating holidays.
JOB SUMMARY: Cleans, inspects, and/or lubricates recyclable sorting equipment or performs routine maintenance or minor repairs on recycling equipment, such as star gears, finger sorters, de-stoners, belts, and grinders. Work is performed under the direct supervision of the MRF Lead Mechanic.
Management….. yawn
Oversight, the same amount of “stuff” is going to require the same amount of “truck space” to transport. Running fewer trucks only means each one will fill up faster and need to make more trips to the landfill and back, reducing how much each truck can carry in one day due to the added travel times of going to the landfill more often.
Sounds like a good time to really clean closets using both cans! Please let us know when to separate trash again. Let’s use the service to clean up.
why not hire non-violent felons, they are always trying to find work.
Why is the turnover so high? Bad supervisors? Horrible working conditions? Usually when the turnover is high there’s a reason!
What is your pay scale for this position? Obviously may have some openings and some folks looking for jobs may appreciate the opportunity. Thank You.
Absolutely the poorest run organization in Escambia County continues to amaze me with these foolish decisions. The State needs to step in and reorganize the entire management staff
Dear oversight, will that one truck magically get bigger and be able to hold more trash?
Math is fun.
Oh goodie, now I can use that second can for overflow.
Why run a second truck to collect recyclables when they are going to go in with the same trash? More trucks, more wasted fuel, more maintenance. Sounds like a great governmental management plan.