By Patti Holdraker
Times of Wayne County

A unique business from the start, ALPCO Recyling Inc. has created and reinvented itself several times since its inception as a gravel pit in the 1960s. 

After pivoting to a recycling and trash/bottle drop off center in the late 80’s, Al Plumb’s family business has continued to evolve.

Originally established by his Dad Alton Plumb and mom Bertha, Al realized that recycling and sorting could make the company money, and it would mean that waste taken to the landfill would be lessened - helping the environment while providing increase revenue for the business. 

That imagining lead to what is now a very efficient means for local residents and commercial customers to dispose of waste.

The idea that a person could drive into the facility, stay in their vehicle and have their  cardboard, paper,  plastics and glass recycled at no cost,  continue around the circle to have bottles and cans dropped off (for cash), and end with trash disposed of for a minimal fee per pound - was revolutionary.  

It replaces the need for a trash pick up service and toters, a trip to the store to take back bottles/cans for their deposits, and eliminating the need to find a place to recycle cardboard and plastics. 

ALPCO has now been a staple in the area since 1989, with Al as its owner/president/worker/promoter.

Last year, a casual conversation with his daughter Chelsea Depoint  prompted a big change.

“He offhandedly asked me Would you want to take over the business?” Chelsea remembered.

“I said:  Well, Yes. It turns out that he already knew what I would say and had already printed business cards with  my name and  “President” printed under it.”

After an employee meeting  at the Log Cabin Restaurant in Macedon, Tyler Hickman (who, along with Chelsea had worked at the facility since he was 14) was asked also be an owner. 

Al sold them ALPCO Recycling, land and stock in September of 2025. He and his wife Janelle would step back from operations and Al would answer phones and just be in the background (puttering where he wished). 

“A massive amount of paperwork was signed, initialled and filed, and after several hours, the transfer was official,” said Chelsea.

The new owners are also connected  with family ties. Chelsea is Al’s daughter and Tyler is his grandson - and together they plan to take on their new visions for the company.

DePoint and Hickman have been managing most of the business, under Al’s guidance, for 4-5 years, and have  learned as they went - being involved in nearly all aspects of the company.

“Our core values have not changed. Our employees are loyal team members and we are all, in a sense” family here”, said Tyler.

It helps that both owners are immersed in the community; Chelsea is a Gananda High School grad (Class of   2007) and Tyler graduated in 2012 from Pal-Mac).

The future plans are to maintain the services and residential loop and let innovation lead them into new ways to improve.

One of the first moves was to remove the cute and well-loved decorating around the property and especially in the center of the traffic loop. The dirt/stone area in the center was reduced providing an extra space for a passing lane, avoiding the traffic back up at busy times.

“It made such a difference,” said Chelsea.

“Another change was our investment in a new can machine for bottle/can returns, and, in the future a slow feed shredder,” added Tyler. “We are streamlining operations  and working on more efficiencies.”

Services that Alpco provides are: Residential recycling, garbage disposal, junk removal, roll off containers, commercial tractor/trailer drop offs an picks for recycling.

With managers to help with each phase of operation, the Departments are: Residential, Non Ferrous, Ferrous, Container and Demolition, the Plant (recycling) and Revival.  There is a weigh station for scrap metal and the customer can collect cash onsite. 

“We hope to add TV and computer monitor recycling to our services, but that is not in the works yet.

Alpco Recycling has 55 employees with a core of 14 loyal and hard working managers. Age ranges are from 30 to about 50, with many applications for teenagers always coming in.

Prior to their actual ownership status, Chelsea served as the Director of Business Affairs, and Tyler was Director of Operations. They are now owners but also President and Vice President.

Both admit that they overhear stories daily about how Al Plumb sold his company to a big comglamorate in Rochester or merged with a landfill company. They listen to the stories and then put the public right, but explaining that it is a family business and they now own the operation.

Some of the oddest stories from around the facility have been, people thinking that “used" toilet tissue is a recyclable paper”  Yewwww. 

“We also had a customer ask about our price on titanium for scrap. He figured he would let his family know that when he passed, they could recycle all the metal in his body. (Answer is No).”

As far as community involvement, ALPCO offers discounts to first responders, fire, ambulance, veterans, teachers and seniors. They often provide junk vehicles for the local fire departments to use in training for fires, extractions and air bag deployments.

ALPCO Recycling, Inc is located a 843 Macedon Center Road in Macedon and is open 7am-6 pm Monday-Friday and 8-3 on Saturdays and Sundays.