The Bourbon County Commission decided Tuesday to donate the county’s three recycling trailers to 4-State Sanitation, who plans to use those trailers to provide recycling services to the county.

The Southeast Kansas trash collection provider, whose headquarters is based in Fort Scott, first requested the trailers January 10. Initially the commissioners considered lending the trailers immediately or donating them to the company, but then decided to put the trailers to bid to give other businesses an opportunity as well.

The commission received only one bid, from 4-State, who said their plan is to provide free recycling to Bourbon County residents two days a week, collecting items such as cardboard, plastic and aluminum.

The bid listed 4-State’s goal to work in conjunction with Souteast Kansas Recycling to provide a “cleaner environment and community.”

“We need recycling,” public works director Jim Harris said, who also said it would benefit the county to have the trailers, owned by the county since about 1996, off their insurance.

The county provided recycling service in the past, but Harris said they lost money in the endeavor, as they would often travel to areas of the county that would not have any items to pick up, costing the county time and  fuel without receiving any benefit. Commissioner Jeff Fischer said many residents of Fort Scott had gotten in the habit of recycling, but are now losing that good habit.

The commission voted unanimously to give the trailers to 4-State Sanitation, requesting that in return, the trailers be used specifically for Bourbon County recycling, as was stated in their request for bids.