By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
One bad apple won’t spoil the whole bunch, but a few bad apples will definitely spoil the local recycling program.
City Council member Mitch Figert and Mayor Scott Long warned local residents that placing non-recyclable items in recycling bins on the north and south side could mean serious consequences for the program.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned and need to bring to the public’s attention is the amount of waste that is going into the recycling bin,” said Figert, the Council’s liaison to the Solid Waste Management Board. “We all pay a relatively small fee to have that service available.”
However, some are abusing the service leaving such things as plywood, tables, chairs and other non-recyclable items, he said.
If the problem continues, he said, “I can only imagine at some point that fee might have to be re-evaluated, or the program as a whole.”
Long added, “Items placed in the containers at the recycle site contaminate the entire dumpster.”
There are some options that officials have.
“It could get to the point where we either locate all the dumpsters at Solid Waste and remove the south side recycling site if we don’t start getting some compliance with recyclable material going in there,” the mayor said, “to eliminating the program totally. That’s a possibility.”
Solid Waste can’t continue to paying the cost for contaminated goods.
Figert encouraged the public to watch what is put in the containers, and should anyone be see violating the regulations to contact the Solid Waste Management District.