DAYTON, Ohio — Rumpke Waste & Recycling is warning customers that hazardous and oversized items showing up in curbside recycling bins are putting workers and equipment at risk, as the company rolls out a Halloween-themed reminder of what does not belong in the bin.
In a release issued Thursday, the company said items recently found at its recycling centers have included animal carcasses, tires, bowling balls and other athletic balls, propane tanks, and textiles such as clothing, shoes and bedsheets. None of those items are accepted in Rumpke’s recycling program, the company said, and some have their own separate recycling or disposal channels.
Propane tanks pose the most serious danger, according to the release. If one is punctured inside a collection truck or at a recycling center, it can start a fire. Tires can jam sorting machinery, and textiles can get tangled in equipment, both extending the time a facility must shut down for repairs, the release said.
Batteries were singled out as a particular hazard. The release said batteries have the ability to ignite and destroy large piles of recyclables “in an instant,” and they are commonly found in household items ranging from greeting cards to television remotes to lawn mowers. Rumpke recommends dropping batteries off at designated collection sites, including Lowe’s, The Home Depot and battery specialty retailers, or checking with a local solid waste district. The release cited Montgomery and Greene counties as examples of districts that accept batteries and other household hazardous waste.
Items Rumpke does accept in its recycling program include plastic bottles, jugs, tubs and cups; aluminum, steel and tin cans; glass bottles and jars; and loose-leaf paper, cardboard and paperboard, according to the release.
More information on battery safety is available at batterysafetynow.org, and additional recycling guidelines can be found at Rumpke.com, the company said.
Rumpke Waste & Recycling has operated for more than 90 years and employs more than 4,500 people across five states, according to the release. The company operates 18 landfills and 16 recycling centers, along with divisions including Rumpke Portable Restrooms, Rumpke Haul-it-Away, Rumpke Hydraulics and the William-Thomas Group.
The information contained in this story was obtained from Rumpke Waste & Recycling.
