The Rock Island County Waste Management Agency has announced it will close the four sites - in Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, and Milan - at the end of September.
Agency Coordinator Brandon Melton says the agency is funded by fees charged to dump garbage at landfills. But income from these tipping fees has dropped sharply in the last year and-a-half.
"We suspect, and it's very likely, this is due to reduced commercial activity because of COVID restrictions. So there's less trash going into the landfill which seems like a good thing. So a reduction in the landfill volumes means a reduction in our income."
The drop in income was 120,000 dollars, or about 20 per cent of the agency's annual budget.
The agency first opened the drop-off sites about 20 years ago, and most recently have included large containers for cardboard, and plastic and paper. After September 30th, residents of the Illinois Quad Cities will have to rely on their curbside recycling programs for cardboard, paper, and plastic.
