The Blair County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling reminds residents of the availability of drop-off recycling centers in the area, and how to properly prepare items for recycling.
The Department provides two drop-off recycling sites locally. One is located in front of Magisterial District Judge Fred Miller’s office, Old Route 220, at the south end of Tyrone. Another is located at the Snyder Township Municipal Building.
Both recycling centers accept four different commodities for recycling, in separate bins, each labeled for the appropriate item to be deposited: corrugated cardboard; newspaper and phone books; metal cans – aluminum, steel and BI-metal; No. one and two plastic bottles and jugs.
Tisha McCaulley, Code Enforcement Officer for the department, urges residents to observe signage at the depots, as the sites are intended for drop-off of only the posted recyclable commodities.
“We ask residents to help us keep the depots clean,” said McCaulley, adding that, “littering and illegal dumping are not only unsightly, but also illegal.” McCaulley noted that, “No other items are to be left at the centers and nothing is to be left outside the bins.”
McCaulley urges residents who observe misuse of the centers to call the county’s toll-free illegal dumping and littering hotline at 1-888-XLITTER. Information such as license plate number, date and time of the incident, description of the perpetrator and the nature of misuse should be reported. McCaulley added that, “All that we want to achieve is appropriate use, but we will prosecute if necessary.”
As interest in recycling continues to grow, the department plans to expand the Tyrone drop-off, to provide more capacity.
Terry Stacey, Department Director, notes that the bins are intended for residential use only. “Commercial entities should be making arrangements for recycling at their places of business, through their hauler or other service provider,” said Stacey. “Likewise, Tyrone Borough residents should be recycling three of these four commodities at curbside, through the Borough’s contracted hauler.”
Tyrone Borough residents don’t have the opportunity to recycle corrugated cardboard at curbside, so the drop-off centers offer that option.
The department empties the recycling depot bins twice each week and takes the commodities to a local processor where they are further sorted and shipped to mills that will make new products.
“Whether at curbside or at the drop-off centers, Blair County residents really are interested in recycling,” added McCaulley, “and its positive benefits.” Recycling saves energy and natural resources, including water and raw materials. “People want to be a part of the ‘green’ effort, and proper recycling is an easy way to do it.”
Corrugated cardboard should be broken down and flattened before being placed in the drop-off container, to conserve space. Cardboard, as well as newspapers and phone books, should be kept dry. Metal cans, plastic bottles and jugs should be rinsed out; lids or caps should be removed, but labels may remain.
For additional information, call the Blair County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling at 949-2566 or 696-4620, or visit blaircounty.org on the Internet.
