By Joseph Deinlein
The Daily Item
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LEWISBURG — Union County is taking a more conscientious approach during its annual fall recycling this year.
The event, scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 15 and 8 to noon Oct. 16, will collect appliances, computers, metals, clothing, electronics and certain textiles, said Bob Huntington, the county’s recycling coordinator. Items can be taken to Wolfe Field on St. Anthony Street.
The county will contract with Creative Recycling Systems Inc., which is based in Tampa, Fla., but has a satellite office in Allentown. Huntington said he was contacted by the company and learned they were featured in National Geographic for their commitment to recycling.
“They keep everything here. It’s not shipped overseas,” Huntington told the county commissioners Tuesday.
Sometimes, these kinds of recyclables end up in other countries where children and other laborers are made to burn off the plastics in order to retrieve precious metals in the equipment, Huntington said.
That burning can pollute the air and drinking water, seemingly defeating the purpose of recycling, he said.
“Now we don’t have that potentially on our conscience,” he said.
The collection is generally free, but the county charges a $5 fee for air conditioners, dehumidifiers, freezers, refrigerators and televisions.
Couple that money with a state grant, and the county only paid about $2,000 of the roughly $8,000 price tag for last year’s collection.
Creative Recycling was able to beat the 14-cents-per-pound price offered by past vendors by four cents, meaning the cost to the county could be lower this year if the same amount of items is dropped off, Huntington said.
The agreement the commissioners signed Tuesday commits them only to the October event. Should that be successful, the county can decide to continue with Creative Recycling, Huntington said.
If you go
What: Union County fall recycling event
When: 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 15 and 8 to noon Oct. 16
Where: Wolfe Field, St. Anthony Street, Lewisburg
Cost: Free for most items, but there is a $5 charge for air conditioners, dehumidifiers, freezers, refrigerators and televisions.
Details: Call the Recycling Hotline at 524-9300.
