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Bulbs pollute recycling bin

Greensburg Daily News (IN) - 10/22/2014

Oct. 22--GREENSBURG -- Over the weekend, nearly 200 florescent light bulbs were left at the Decatur County Solid Waste Recycling Center, many of them shattering and contaminating the container with mercury.

Brittani Saunders, Director and Educator of the Decatur County Solid Waste Management District (DCSW), said some of the bulbs were left in boxes and were able to be picked up and disposed of properly, but the mercury inside the broken bulbs created a hazardous situation.

Mercury is a toxic substance that can cause health problems when one is exposed to it over a long period of time. The mercury inside light bulbs is aerosolized when the bulb is broken and can be harmful if inhaled. Saunders said there will be an environmental agency coming to Greensburg to clean the bin. DCSW will have to absorb the cost of having the bin cleaned, but it should only be closed for a few days, according to Saunders.

Saunders said she isn't sure if the person leaving the bulbs wanted to recycle or just get rid of them, though she hopes the matter is simply a lack of education.

"We don't know if they thought they were doing the right thing or not. Light bulbs aren't just glass, they contain mercury," Saunders said.

Everything in the container, which was filled with glass and aluminum, has been contaminated and can no longer be recycled. Saunders said all those items will be removed when the bin is cleaned and disposed of properly.

"One person not being educated on what can and can't be recycled has ruined an entire load of recycling," Saunders said.

However, Greensburg residents can still bring in their recyclable materials. Recyclers are asked to use the bin on the left for newspapers. She said all the recyclables are sorted at another location and it won't harm anything to have the different types of materials mixed together.

Saunders said she is more than happy to answer questions about what can and can't be recycled. In many cases, if something can't be recycled in Greensburg, she will try to help find a place where it can be reused or disposed of in a safe and responsible manner.

Some things that cannot be recycled in DCSW bins include:

--electronics (The next recycling day for these items is 9 a.m .to noon on Feb. 21 at the fairgrounds)

--printer cartridges (Saunders will start a recycling program for these in the next few weeks)

--toxic materials like paint and aerosol cans (there are special Toc-A-Way days to dispose of these items)

--light bulbs

--batteries

--furniture

--tires

Saunders said all typical recyclables, such as glass, paper, cardboard, aluminum and plastic can be left at the DCSW recycling bins. Plastic #1 through #7 can be recycled at DCSW. To find what number a plastic container is, check the bottom for a small recycling symbol. The item's number should be printed inside the symbol.

DCSW often hosts special recycling days. On Nov. 15, which also happens to be America Recycles Day, DCSW will hold a shredding day.

Saunders said that education is becoming the focus of DCSW. She travels to the county schools often to lead lessons about various aspects of recycling.

"Our priority is to make a cleaner community. Just to be a better, cleaner community to make this an even better place to live," Saunders said.

The students at both North and South Decatur Elementary Schools seem to have taken the message to heart and are very involved with recycling. Students at South Decatur Elementary School will soon be starting a recycling program in class with Saunders' help. Saunders said the classes are completely free and she hopes to expand to Greensburg schools soon.

Schools are not the only place Saunders' lessons could benefit the community. She said she is also available to speak to the public, sharing recycling tips with adults as well as children. Saunders believes the current situation could have been avoided with proper education.

Saunders reported that Indiana is working toward a goal of recycling 50 percent of the state's trash. She did not have recycling-related statistics for either the county or the state, but said that information should be available around the first of the year.

"We exist to promote and practice environmental longevity throughout Decatur County. By working together to do this, we're protecting our loved ones for years to come," Saunders said.

With Saunders' help, it's easy to imagine the prevalence of recycling in Decatur County continuing to rise.

For questions about recycling or information about DCSW, please contact Saunders at 812-663-0960 or solidwaste@decaturcounty.in.gov. Additional information is available at www.decaturcountysolidwaste.com.

Contact: Amanda Browning 812-663-3111 x7004; amanda.browning@greensburgdailynews.com.

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(c)2014 Greensburg Daily News (Greensburg, Ind.)

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