Holmes County to buckle down on illegal recycling

What do two old lawn mowers, an old washing machine, a car battery, eight bags of garbage, an old tire and aluminum siding have in common?

All are illegal objects to throw into the Holmes County recycling bins.

Despite posting signs on what can and can’t be recycled and how the process should properly take place, the county continues to see the dropping off of illegal items like the aforementioned and many others.

While the county has cameras set in place to both try to deter illegal drop-offs and to identify those who don’t follow proper procedures, they have not been harsh on following up on those who are breaking the law of recycling.

However, as the problem grows, they are ready to be less lenient toward those they are able to identify through the use of the cameras.

“I know we don’t want to prosecute people, but they need to obey the laws,” said Kevin Miller, Holmes County waste management and recycling director. “It’s the same as littering.”

He said the county must continually go through all the recycling containers to pull out unacceptable items, something that costs the county time and money. However, what costs the county even more money is when those illegal items find their way into the recycling center and the county is charged a fine for the illegal material.

According to Susan Schie, Holmes County commissioner clerk, this has been an ongoing issue. She said they have the names of 88 people who have formerly dumped off illegal materials into the recycling bins, and it is an issue that needs to be further addressed on a county-wide level.

Commissioner Dave Hall said while there are those who dump illegally simply to use the recycling centers as their own personal waste management system, many people still are simply not aware of all the rules and regulations surrounding recycling.

“A lot of it is an educational thing,” Hall said. “With the money we have, maybe we should do an educational piece of the do’s and don’ts of recycling. A lot of people don’t know a Walmart bag with recyclable materials in it is not a good thing.”

Schie said the county has recently run informational pieces concerning recycling and added there is a day each year at the fairgrounds designated to accepting things like machinery, batteries, old paint and other material that would normally not be recyclable.

Hall said one way to reach adults is through promoting recycling at the elementaries throughout the county, saying finding ways to connect with and educate youngsters who tend to take that information home with them is a good way to spread the word.

Schie also said in recent solid waste management meetings with other counties, she recognized Holmes County is not alone in this struggle.

Miller said rather than put the burden of confronting abusers of the system on the county sheriff’s office or the prosecutor, he would be willing to contact people who are abusing the system and discuss how to properly recycle waste.

“It’s got to stop, and if it doesn’t, we can look at prosecuting,” Miller said. “I think with the live cameras, we can identify the people pretty easily.”

Schie said they have tried to work with repeat offenders, sending out letters to those individuals, and that has had a positive impact.

The commissioners said if the action continues, they will look into taking a much harder stance on punishing those who are knowingly violating the law.

Commissioner Joe Miller said these types of repeated issues have already forced the county to pull recycling centers out of some areas around the county in the past in Clark, Glenmont and Killbuck, and he doesn’t want to see the county lose any more centers because they are convenient for the people of Holmes County.