HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt SPCA is having more success than ever before with their bottle drive program.
“I can’t believe the amount of recycling that got dropped off, and it’s still coming,” said Wanda Price, Humboldt's shelter manager.
“We never expected how much we got, but it’s going to be awesome when we actually get to take it in.”
Price said that the SPCA used to make approximately $350 a month through their program, but after a local business stopped sending them their recycling in January, that dropped to about $100.
That was until the pandemic hit, and Sarcan closed.
Now at Price’s best estimate is that they have a few thousand dollars’ worth of bottles collected, but it would be impossible to say without counting.
Price credits part of the success with an initiative put on by Cathy Zimmerman, one of their volunteers.
On May 4, Zimmerman provided curbside recycling pickup for any families within the city limits, in hopes of taking people’s unwanted bottles that may be piling up.
“She figured there were probably people who didn’t drive,” Price said. “That one day was crazy, they dropped off a whole bunch after they picked up, and then they had to go back and do the other half of the people.”
Price said that this continued onto the next day, with the SPCA receiving calls about donating bottles from more families.
Staff members estimated that in one event they have received about $1,000 worth of bottles.
“We expected to get some, we never expected to get as much as we did,” she said.
“We were afraid people would start taking it to the dump or something.”
Anyone wishing to drop off bags of bottles can do so at the Humboldt SPCA shelter on Bruce Street. People are asked to leave the bags in front of the door if there is a red car parked, and if not there is a trailer next to the shed they can be left at.
The bottles they’re asking for include all refundable beverage containers including glass, plastic jugs, cans and cartons.
