Despite some recent issues with overflowing recycling bins in Greenfield, the director of the recycling program in Highland County said the issue is being worked out and that there are currently eight locations in the county where recyclable items can be deposited.
“They hadn’t been overflowing, but Rumpke takes care of emptying the bins and a Rumpke driver came in a few weeks ago and saw garbage in a bin in Greenfield,” said Tara Campbell, director of community programs for the Highland County Community Action Organization, Inc. that oversees recycle efforts in the county.
She said Rumpke drivers are not allowed to empty the bins if they contain garbage.
“It usually only takes a couple days, but it hasn’t been taken care of yet,” Campbell said earlier this week. She said snow and icy weather delayed correcting the problem.
The way local residents can help avoid problems like the one in Greenfield, Campbell said, is to only put approved items in the recycling bins. She said items should also not be placed on the ground around a bin, and that items in a plastic bag are not acceptable.
Items that can be recycled, according to Campbell, include: glass bottles and jars of all colors; metal cans, aluminum cans; steel cans and lids; empty aerosol cans (remove lids and tips); plastic bottles and jugs; butter containers; yogurt containers; Cool Whip bowls; milk jugs; water and pop bottles; laundry detergent jugs; shampoo bottles; paper and cardboard (flatten boxes to save bin space); mixed office paper and envelopes; newspapers, magazines, telephone books and catalogs; cardboard, paperboard (cereal boxes); and clean pizza boxes.
Items that are not accepted in the bins include: furniture, ceramics, garden hoses, construction debris, paint; plastic bags; electronics (bring to annual electronics event instead); tires (bring to annual tire recycling event instead); other metal including scrap metal, chains, car parts, pots, pans, hangers; other plastics including CDs, plastic bags, chairs, clamshell containers, buckets; other glass including light bulbs, window glass, drinking glasses; Styrofoam; food and yard waste; medical sharps and syringes; and hazardous materials.
Campbell said it is considered illegal dumping to place unacceptable items in the bins or to leave items on the ground around the bins.
If anyone notices problems at a bin, they should report it to HCCAO at 937-393-3458.
The eight current recycling bins in Highland County are located at:
In Hillsboro — Hillsboro Board of Education, 39 Willettsville Pike; Sunoco, 489 E. Main St.; Hi-TEC Center, 1575 N. High St.
In Dodsonville — Terry’s Grocery, 1505 U.S. Route 50 near SR 134.
In Greenfield — Greenfield Bargain Barn, 502 S. Second St.
In Leesburg — Premier Grain, 116 S. Fairfield St.
In Lynchburg — Main Street/SR 134 near Dollar General.
In Rainsboro — Paint Township Building, 12470 U.S. Route 50.
Campbell said the county’s Recycling and Litter Program at HCCAO provides supplies for groups that would like to clean up roadways, waterways or parks in the county.
“If a group wants to do a project, give us a call with a list of what they need and we’ll help them out,” Campbell said.
She also said that “if a community or business would like to place a bin at their location, we would welcome that, especially in the outlying areas of the county.”
For more information, call 937-393-3458 or visit hccao.org/recycle.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
