Mexico Handi-Shop No Longer Accepting Plastic, Paper and Metal Recycling

The Mexico Handi-Shop will no longer accept plastic, paper and metal recycling.

The announcement was made today (Monday) and is effective immediately according to the press release.

It will continue to accept cardboard recycling and shredding.

Manager of the Handi-Shop Martin Keller says “This was a hard decision to make. We know how important recycling is to our community.”

“The recycling markets have declined drastically in the past decade and hit an all-time low in 2019. We can no longer run our business with the losses we incurred in 2019, and there is no recovery in the foreseeable future.”

The Handi-Shop has always run at a deficit in their department. In 2019 losses reached over $70,000 despite funding from local and state governments. This loss and the current health crisis due to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak are the factors for the Handi-Shop’s decision.

“Unfortunately, the health and safety of our employees is our priority at the Handi-Shop. All paper, metal and plastic recycling has to be hand sorted and touched by one of our employees with a mental or physical disability. Due to the condition of much of the recycling received, it was no longer considered a safe environment for our employees to work in.” Keller stated.

The closest recycling drop off location to Mexico is located at the Home Depot in Columbia.