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Rob Kesler, owner of RK Disposal. Photo by Sharon Durham
RK Disposal becomes new Casey refuse, recycling service  Share
Rob Kesler, owner of RK Disposal, got his start seven years ago with one customer and a pickup truck. Rob was working for a refuse company in Terre Haute at the time and started his business on weekends in Marshall. Today, the company has grown to 5,000 customers and covers nearly all of Clark County including Marshall, Livingston, Oliver, Martinsville, Casey, a large portion of West Union, and Annapolis in Crawford County. Rob has six employees in addition to his wife, who works in the office. Casey will be his first recycling community. Items to be recycled are to be placed in the blue container and will be picked up on the second and fourth Friday of each month with the first pick-up scheduled for July 10. Once the trucks are loaded with recyclables, they will be weighed. (The weight of the trucks is already known.) The weight of the recycled items will be posted on their website at rkdisposal.com, and Casey residents will be able to see how much is being saved from going into a landfill. The weight information should be posted by July 12 or 13. The recycled items will be taken to the Good Will store on South Third St. in Terre Haute where people have been hired to sort the items.
Since the trash containers were delivered in Casey last week, Rob has received many phone calls from concerned residents with questions about the new service. He would like to assure everyone that recycling is encouraged, but not mandatory. Following the lead of Casey teachers and students who have offered recycling services for the past couple of years, Casey city officials worked hard this past year to find a refuse company that would offer curbside recycling, but no one will be forced to recycle. Rob and city officials do stress, however, that the blue container is not to be used for trash. If trash is placed in the blue container, it will not be picked up. The blue container is to be kept clean for recycled items, and it is important to rinse the items before placing them in the bin. Keep in mind that people will be sorting these items. Items for recycling are Newspaper, Cardboard and Cereal Boxes, Magazines and Catalogs, Telephone Books, Office Paper, Paper Bags, Junk Mail, Plastics #1-7 (please rinse), Aluminum and Tin/Steel cans (please rinse). The list of common materials NOT accepted is as follows: plastic bags, Styrofoam, motor oil bottles, waxed cartons, wet paper, yard waste and food waste. Rob said if people have more trash or more recyclables than the furnished containers will hold, RK Disposal will pick up bags or refuse from other trash cans; however, the Casey city council is in the process of drafting an ordinance to prevent or discourage the use of open containers or bags sitting on the street. The new containers are to be the primary ones. ''The city is trying to prevent waste and litter on the streets,'' said Sarah Holsapple-Miller, Casey city attorney. ''Dogs often tear into the trash bags that are left on the street, and the city's end goal is to prevent blowing litter.'' Rob said he realizes it will take people a few months to get used to the new service, but he will do what he can to accommodate people. ''We'll be flexible and work with people,'' he said. ''If anyone has a problem or special need, feel free to call me because we want to accommodate everyone.'' Although the containers are large, 64 and 96 gallons, they are on wheels and easily transported to curbside on day of collection. In case of inclement weather, Rob said elderly and or handicapped people who are unable to get their trash to the curb should call RK Disposal for special pickup. Three thousand trash containers were delivered to Casey last week. Anyone who did not receive one, or received one too many in error should call the office. ''We don't want anyone to have a lapse in service,'' Rob said. Call RK Disposal at 217.889.3691. Residents may also call Rob directly on his cell phone at 812.841.3169. Sharon Durham is a staff reporter for the Casey Reporter.
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