Misusing recycling containers can mean a trip to court

As inviting as those oversized metal bins at places like grocery store parking lots or at the back driveways of businesses are, if what you’re about to put in one of them isn’t recyclable, take it back home.

That’s the message the Lawrence-Scioto County Solid Waste Management District has for those wanting to circumvent the recycling rules.

A Proctorville man learned recently the hard way and that lesson cost him about $500 in fines and restitution.

“People don’t realize what this costs the district,” Dan Palmer of the waste management district, said.

Using dumpsters for non-recyclables is a class 3 misdemeanor. When inappropriate material is put in the dumpster, that contaminates the entire contents and it can’t be recycled, Palmer said.

The recent incident came about when a passer-by happened to see a man putting carpeting into a recycling container. Carpeting is not a legitimate recyclable material. That person took a photograph of the carpeting and sent it to Palmer’s office.

After an investigation, the man was cited into municipal court, where he pleaded no contest. He received a $250 fine, court costs of $110 and restitution of $91 for the container. He also was sentenced to 20 days in jail, but that was suspended.

Right now there are 72 recycling containers in the two counties at 29 sites — 12 of those are in Lawrence County.

“We are out there watching regularly,” Palmer said. “People know better. If we catch anyone, we will take you to court. This is a cost to the taxpayer.”