Misuse of Can Donation Site Threatens Charles City Fireworks Funding

For years, Charles City’s annual Fourth of July Fireworks Show has been funded in part by public donations of redeemable cans and bottles. 

Only redeemable cans and bottles are to be left in the collection cages behind the former City Tap building at 813 North Main Street. However, off and on misuse of that collection site is threatening its removal. 

Main Street Charles City Community Development Director Mark Wicks says misuse has increased in recent months with people dumping water bottles and milk jugs, non-redeemable glass items (often broken and dangerous), cardboard, household trash, old furniture, ashes, and even pet and human waste. In addition, cans and bottles have been dumped next to the collection cages, at times leaving an unsightly and disorganized mess.

Wicks notes, “Main Street Charles City took over the collection after the Jaycees club in town dissolved in order to maintain that valuable funding source for our traditional fireworks show on July 4th. All proceeds go to the Fireworks Fund, with the pick-up and sorting of those cans and bottles having been provided throughout the years, in part or in whole, by volunteers. It has been done as a community service.”

Wicks says volunteer-driven collection efforts have been greatly hampered by the inappropriate items being put in or next to the collection cages. As a result, it no longer became safe or appropriate for local Boy Scouts to assist in the collection. 

He adds, “This is a community service, and one that will go away if it is continued to be abused and misused. That would hurt all of us because of the impact it would have on our fireworks show and in losing an option of where we can take and dispose of our redeemable cans and bottles. We need the public’s help in properly using this site and holding each other accountable in order to keep it.”

Wicks notes that Main Street Charles City has recently worked out an agreement with a new local redemption center, “Enjoy-Recycle-Repeat,” at 1200 Fisher Street, to pick up and process the donated cans and bottles. However, if the dumping of inappropriate items at the collection site continues, that arrangement could also end.