I live in Towamensing Township in Carbon County in Pennsylvania. Our township runs a recycling facility where residents are encouraged to bring #1 and #2 plastic, tin and aluminum cans, cardboard, glass bottles, and paper. These items are supposed to be placed in clearly marked bins.
Our next door neighbor, Lower Towamensing Township, also had a recycling program, but its program was much simpler. It was called single stream, and the residents were able to put any of the above items into metal bins. The garbage company would then pick up and sort the items.
Lower Towamensing residents were not supposed to put in foodstuffs, diapers, and other household trash. Those items were part of a regular trash pickup. Unfortunately, Lower Towamensing had to halt its recycling efforts because the dumb asses who live there contaminated the recycling so much that the trash company refused to continue the program.
Today I visited the Towamensing Township recycling facility. The paper recycling bins contained huge pieces of styrofoam and plastic bags. The cardboard bin contained chipboard, like cereal boxes. If it isn’t corrugated, it’s not cardboard. The bottle bins contained what looked like a huge fish tank with window glass and metal parts along with porcelain from a toilet. The plastic container bins were contaminated with all kinds of plastic, even though the numbers of the various types are imprinted on each piece.
What’s the problem here? Is this a deliberate attempt to sabotage the program? Are our residents that stupid? They did vote overwhelmingly for Trump, so that is a real possibility. In any case, they are acting irresponsibly, the program may end, and the garbage bills may have to be raised because of the increase in tipping fees.
It does get discouraging.
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