NEW BERLIN — Borough street supervisor Lester Hummel spends between 30 minutes to an hour each day pulling trash out of the borough’s recycle bins.
“I have to go through the bins every day,” he said Tuesday. “It takes a lot of time to do this.”
The New Berlin recycling site is at risk of having the service removed because of the safety and health hazards caused by the abuse, he said.
Hummel said this has been going on for years, but now it’s getting bad.
The borough pays about $85 a month to have garbage hauled away that is wrongly placed in the bins.
“I don’t call this the New Berlin Recycle Center, I call it the New Berlin garbage center,” Hummel said.
At times, when the large metal bins are hauled from the site and are discovered to be contaminated with improper materials, it costs more than $100 to bring them back.
Glass and cardboard are the two main problems, he said. Window panes, sliding glass doors and windshields have been found in the recycle bins.
Robert Huntington, Union County environmental planner/recycling coordinator, said one Pyrex dish can contaminate an entire load of glass.
Only corrugated cardboard, such as shipping, packing or moving boxes can be recycled. Chipboard — used for cereal boxes, pizza boxes, food packaging, tissue boxes or books — cannot be recycled and is often found mixed in.
Currently, signs and samples of legal materials can be found hanging on the front of the bins. Huntington said the signs will soon be replaced with new ones with explanations of what is permitted. The old bins will also be replaced.
In addition, security cameras will be put in shortly in an attempt to catch violators.
“I suggest people take a brochure until the new signs are made,” Hummel said.
The brochures can be picked up at the center.
Items accepted at all recycling centers include aluminum, bi-metal cans, corrugated cardboard, glass containers, magazines, newsprint and No. 1 and No. 2 plastics. Office paper is also accepted at East Buffalo, Lewisburg and Mifflinburg.
Hummel said those who are caught depositing harmful materials will be subject to arrest. “It’s getting to the point where it’s going to happen,” he said. “I have more important things to do than separate garbage.”
n E-mail comments to gmorton@dailyitem.com.
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