The beauty of pristine Stockton Lake inspires residents and visitors to do what they can to keep it that way. It nudges us to rethink the cultural influences which drive us to consume and throw away, to reduce mindless consumption and too much stuff, to respect and care for others and the earth.

Several recycling outlets in Stockton offer residents and visitors the opportunity to recycle a wide range of items, from Flonase bottles and packaging to oral hygiene waste, plus numerous other items.

Stockton outlets and other locations that accept items for recycling

Caplinger Mills Fire Stations accept motor oil, transmission fluid and gear grease. Deliver to station 1 in Caplinger Mills or station 2 on Highway J (closest to Stockton). If it is a large amount, like a 55-gallon barrel, call Raymond Heryford for pickup at (417) 276-1448.

Casey’s General Store has large recycling bins shaped like soda pop bottles adjacent to the gas pumps for plastic bottles with caps and aluminum cans. Casey’s is at 606 South St., Stockton.

Cedar County Library/Stockton Branch accepts books in good condition from April through May 20 for the annual book sale. Not accepted: books without covers and Readers’ Digest condensed books. The library is about 1/2 mile east of the public square at 717 Highway 32, Stockton.

Joe’s Tires, Stockton, accepts tires ($2 per tire) and all types and sizes of batteries; 205 S. Worley Street, south of the post office.

O’Reilly Auto Parts, Stockton, accepts automotive and marine batteries and oil filters at 524 West St.

St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church accepts gently used shoes, boots, and sport shoes in a drop box open 24/7 on South Mo. 39, Stockton.

Stockton city maintenance yard accepts yard waste (grass clippings, small limbs, leaves) Mondays only. Make an appointment with city hall by calling (417) 276-5210.

Stockton Recycling Center accepts all types of glass food and beverage containers and co-mingled (unsorted): aluminum, steel and tin cans; plastic containers with lids (No. 1-7); boxboard (cereal, cake, pasta boxes, etc.); brown paper grocery bags and seed/feed bags with strings removed; corrugated cardboard (must be broken down flat); junk mail and envelopes; magazines and catalogs; newspaper and newspaper inserts; office and colored paper; phone books; and paper cartons. Not accepted: Styrofoam of any kind, plastic sacks or bags, porcelain, ceramics, pane glass, aerosol cans, aluminum foil, batteries, diapers, tissue, toiletries, food waste or garbage, food-tainted items, juice boxes or bags, yard waste or trash.

The city recycling center is on the west side of Stockton. From Mo. 32 west, turn right on Fourth Street, then left on Arnold Wallen Way. Thanks to Agapé Boarding School volunteers, the gate is open for recycling from 2-4 p.m. every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Do not leave items at other times.  Starting Wednesday October 30, the recycling center's hours which is located on Arnold Wallen Way, will be 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.  

Stockton R-I School District partners with Nestlé Purina PetCare Company to provide a large paper recycling bin for the school and residents to recycle co-mingled paper waste, items accepted: books (paperback and hard back); boxboard/pasteboard without plastic or wax coating (cereal, cake, pasta, shoe boxes; toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, tissue boxes, etc.; flattened); wrapping and craft paper, including brown paper grocery bags; feed or seed sacks/bags (if no plastic lining or remove plastic lining), remove strings; junk mail and envelopes; magazines and catalogs; newspapers and slick inserts; office, school and colored paper; telephone books (remove plastic wrap); shredded paper (empty from bag); paper egg, berry and fruit cartons. Not accepted: corrugated cardboard; thermal-coated fax/calculator paper; plastic-coated paper or wax-coated paper; aluminum foil lined paper; original blueprints; soiled items; plastic bags, trash.

The bin is behind the town campus buildings, in front of the Tinsley Barn on the unpaved parking lot next to the softball field. The Nestlé Purina PetCare Company recycling bin diverts paper from the waste stream to create secondnature® brand dog litter and Yesterday's News® brand cat litters, made in the Ozarks.

Stockton Area Ministerial Alliance Thrift Store accepts books; clothing, including prom dresses; shoes; furniture; and household items in good used condition. Not accepted: mattresses, exercise equipment, TVs, electronics, telephones, computers and trash.

The thrift store is at 903 East St., east of Woody’s Fast Stop.

Stockton United Methodist Church, 708 East Mo. 32, accepts aluminum beverage and clean pet food cans in barrels in the parking lot—please deposit only pet food cans in the barrel labeled  pet food cans. Recycling cabinet indoors accepts cell phones and accessories; cereal bags and liners (no crumbs); Flonase bottles and packaging (empty, no generic brands accepted); oral hygiene waste (tooth brushes, toothpaste tubes and packaging, floss containers and packaging); eye glasses; ink and toner cartridges. Not accepted: electric toothbrushes.

The United Methodist Women and Go Green Team publish an annual comprehensive list of local Stockton outlets and other area locations accepting many items for recycling. Pick up a bright green copy of the list at city hall, the courthouse, Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce, Cedar County Republican office, the Cedar County Library /Stockton Branch, Cedar County Memorial Health Complex, Cedar County Memorial Exercise Center, Simmons Bank, Korth Center or Stockton United Methodist Church office. 

Westside Marine, 16410 S. Highway 39, Stockton, accepts used or new monofilament line and spool fishing line, and automotive and marine batteries; located at 16410 S. Highway 39, Stockton.

Woods Supermarket in Stockton accepts paper, plastic bags, and aluminum cans in green bins outside the entrance doors. The bins marked paper accept pasteboard such as beer and soda cartons, paper shopping bags, and other regular paper; no corrugated cardboard. The bin marked plastic accepts single use plastic shopping bags and vegetable/fruit bags; no plastic bottles. The bin marked aluminum accepts aluminum beverage cans. Woods accepts broken-down corrugated cardboard if brought inside and given to an employee. Woods is on the south side of Stockton, Mo. 39 south.

El Dorado Springs outlets and other locations that accept items for recycling

Foam Fabricators, 417 W. Industrial Drive, El Dorado Springs, accepts pristine, clean white, uncontaminated foam packaging blocks and coolers (Expanded polystyrene looks like Styrofoam, but is not), identifiable by small round beads molded together to form the block or shape such as a foam cooler. Not accepted: Food service foam such as meat trays, plates, cups or packing peanuts. Call first, (417) 876-6880.

Woods Supermarket, El Dorado Springs, accepts paper, plastic bags and aluminum cans in green bins outside the entrance doors. The bins marked paper accept pasteboard such as beer and soda cartons, paper shopping bags, and other regular paper; no corrugated cardboard. The bin marked plastic accepts single use plastic shopping bags and vegetable/fruit bags; no plastic bottles. The bin marked aluminum accepts aluminum beverage cans. Woods accepts broken-down corrugated cardboard if brought inside and given to an employee. Woods is off U.S. 54.

Evan’s Drugs, El Dorado Springs, accepts white paper, office paper, mixed paper, mail, shredded paper, newspaper, magazines, plastic, broken down cardboard and aluminum cans. For information, call (660) 885-3393. The store is at 209 U.S. 54.

Benefits of Recycling

• One aluminum can saves enough energy to power a 14-watt CFL bulb for 20 hours.

• One plastic bottle saves enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 3 hours.

• One ton of paper saves enough energy to power the average American home for six months.

• One pound of steel cans saves enough energy to power a 60-watt incandescent light bulb for more than one day.

Do your part to protect our lake and our environment, recycle all you can for as long as you can.

Excerpt from Community Guide, published by Cedar County Republican, by Cheryl Y. Marcum, June 2018. Pick up a copy at City Hall, Cedar County Republican, Chamber of Commerce, and local businesses.