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Carbon County Recycling Controversy

PENN FOREST TOWNSHIP — It wasn’t long ago that Carbon County government was big on recycling. All that came to a halt when the County Commissioners,...

PENN FOREST TOWNSHIP -- It wasn't long ago that Carbon County government was big on recycling.

All that came to a halt when the County Commissioners, including Wayne Nothstein, decided to kill the program saying it was too expensive.

"It's not a good time to be an elected official because of the cutbacks from the state and federal governments." Commissioner Nothstein said.

Jim Smith, a landowner, said he allowed the county to set up the recycling bins on his property rent free.

"We all are paying taxes through the county. They should have come up with a better plan than just shutting the program down."

Mary Ellen Arndt recycles and worries what some people will do now

"That way it used to be before recycling, especially the little lane I live people come by and just throw stuff out the window," Arndt explained.

Penn Forest is one of the townships that have set up their own recycling bins. Supervisor Paul Montenurosaid the county mismanaged it's program.

"How many gallon containers can you fit in a trash can if you don't compact it? And that's what Carbon County was doing. They weren't making enough money to drive the truck, let alone the fuel the service, insurance. They were running the trucks 75 per cent air 25 percent material."

A county spokesman disagrees the program was mismanaged and points out the county did not have the capability to compact the recyclables.

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