Canton Curbside Recycling in the News
Recycling is a hit; crews work overtime
BY ED BALINT
REPOSITORY STAFF WRITER
CANTON A few hours of overtime were required Monday to complete the first day of curbside recycling in the city.
A normal recycling shift is the same as trash pickup — 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Monday's inaugural launch of the curbside recycling program was expected to take until about 6 p.m., said Kevin Monroe, who oversees the program.
Some residents placed the city-provided recycling containers along alleys. Recycling trucks are too large to fit down many alleys, Monroe said.
POOR ACCESSIBILITY
Unless a house is fronted only by an alley, residents should place the blue recycling bins along the street, Monroe said. Alleys present a "hardship with accessibility," he said.
"We've got overhanging branches, you've got bushes that protrude into the alleys, and the clearance is simply not sufficient (for the trucks) to safely navigate through these for the purpose of picking up bins," Monroe said.
To deal with the problem, at least for the short-term, the passenger in the recycling truck (who empties the recycling bins into the truck) will retrieve the container and dump it in the truck, said Safety Director Thomas Nesbitt.
In about two weeks, the city will more fully assess the recycling program and come up with ways to address any problems, Nesbitt said.
Recycling pickup is the same day as trash collection. The recycling program is optional, not mandatory, but recycling participation Monday was higher than anticipated, Monroe said. Plastic and paper products, aluminum and metal cans and glass containers and jars are generally accepted.
For more details on other recycling rules and what items are accepted, visit the city's recycling Web site:
http://recycle.cantonohio.gov/
Additional recycling bins can be requested by filling out a form online at the Web site or by calling the recycling hot line at (330) 489-3000.
OTHER PROBLEMS
Delays also resulted Monday from residents who mixed paper products with other items in the bins, such as plastic bottles, aluminum cans and glass jars, Monroe said. Paper is supposed to be separated from all other materials by using a paper bag or bundling paper with twine.
Recycling trucks have separate compartments for paper and the rest of the recyclable, Monroe said. City workers — two each for two trucks — have had to physically separate the paper and bottles, cans and other items at the curb, which "creates another time factor," he said.
To help avoid overtime hours the rest of the week, the sanitation department may utilize the third recycling truck, which is intended for use as a backup vehicle, Nesbitt said.
Also Monday, residents placed bags full of recyclable items next to the blue containers. The city recommends against the practice, because plastic bags are not recyclable in the city's program.
Reach Repository writer Ed Balint at (330) 580-8315 or e-mail: ed.balint@cantonrep.com
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 Canton Health Dept. issues list of pointers for container upkeep
The Canton City Health Department is repsonsible for maintaining healthy neighborhoods across the city. In order to help households avoid fines or citations for improper use/storage of the city's new recycling containers, we have developed a printable guide for the care of your blue bins. You can download this guide by clicking here!
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
We have compiled the following list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) based upon the responses we have received from residents over the past six weeks.
Have a question that isn't answered on this Web site? E-mail us at recycle@cantonohio.gov or call 330-489-3000 to learn more.
Q. When does curbside recycling start in my neighborhood?
A. Curbside Recycling will begin city-wide the week of August 11-17, 2008. We started distributing recycling containers in June, and will continue up through the first week of recycling service. If you have not received your container and it is past August 18, 2008, please contact us to have one delivered to your home.
Q. My family will need more than one container. Can we get another container for free or do we have to pay for it?
A. The City of Canton is currently distributing one recycling container free of charge to city residents. When all residents have received their free container, we will be accepting requests for additional containers. Currently, we do not plan to charge for the additional container. If supplies begin to run extremely low or completely run out we may impose a per-container charge for additional containers. To request another container, click here.
Q. Are we allowed to put out additional recyclables next to our official recycling container in a plastic bag?
A. Because plastic bags are not recyclable in our current program, we request that residents only use the approved containers supplied by the city when recycling their materials. City recycling employees are unable to accept materials that are not in an approved container. Residents should request another bin by using the following online form.
Q. I live outside the city. Can I participate in the recycling program?
A. Unfortunately, the program is only open to those residents who receive city sanitation services. If you live outside the city, it is highly unlikely that you receive city sanitation services. However, if you do live outside of city limits and receive City of Canton Sanitation services, you can participate in this program. There are currently no plans to expand service outside of our current service area.
Q. What happens if the wind or animals upset the bin and recyclables are strewn around the yard/street?
A. If the recycling container simply tips over, chances are that the recycling pickup workers will pick up your materials and put them in the truck. However, similar to standard sanitation services, it is the resident's responsibility to ensure that materials are placed in their designated pickup location in an orderly fashion. Large quantities of recyclable materials that are spread over a defined area could result in citations from the Canton City Health Department.
**TIP: To prevent animals from getting into your recyclable materials, be sure to thoroughly rinse your food items before placing them in the container. Animals are attracted to food smells - if your items have been rinsed properly, animals will not have any reason to investigate your container.
Q. Am I required to participate in the recycling program?
A. Though we strongly encourage all residents to participate in our recycling program, residents are not required to participate in the recycling program at this time. If you choose to opt out of recycling, your sanitation bill will not raise or lower, as this is a free service. Should you opt out of the recycling program, we ask that you contact us at 330-489-3000 to have a city employee retrieve your free recycling container for another household to use.
If you have questions that have not been answered by this Web site, please feel free to send us an e-mail at recycle@cantonohio.gov or call us at 330-489-3000.
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Congratulations to Paul Hovan and Josh Benkart - our 1st Annual Mayor's Young Inventor Challenge Winners!
On May 31, 2008, twelve competitors gathered at Timken High School to showcase their inventions made from the four recyclable materials accepted in the Canton Curbside Recycling program - Paper, Plastic, Metal, and Glass.
Students from middle school grades up through high school competed in the competition, which was sponsored by the Mayor's Office, Wal-Mart, OfficeMax Impress Document Services, Hub Victor Trophy Company, ArtsInStark, and the Canton Chamber of Commerce.
Congratulations go out to first place winners Paul Hovan and Josh Bankert, who each won $500 gift cards from Wal-Mart!
Congratulations also go out to second place winner Theresa Rinehard and third place winner Blake Hersberger for their recycling-themed inventions!
See all of the contestants and their inventions
by looking at our PHOTO PAGE!
The Mayor would like to extend a very special thank you to the following organizations who donated their time, money, or products to the competition free of charge...
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