BLANCHESTER — Blanchester police as well as the county want to make it clear that bins for recyclable materials are for just that — and not garbage bins or a place to drop off donations.
The Clinton County Solid Waste Management District provides these recycling bins in the parking lot across the street from the Blanchester Post Office.
“Due to repeatedly finding non-recyclable materials in the dumpsters, the District has asked the police department to strictly enforce the restrictions on what may be deposited in the dumpsters,” said Blanchester Police Chief Scott Reinbolt. “To this end, they installed surveillance cameras at the dumpsters. Ohio’s littering statute makes it a crime to deposit unapproved items into a recycling dumpster.”
He said the Solid Waste Management District reported that on Thursday, Sept. 13, “a man dumped non-recyclables into the dumpsters,” said Reinbolt. “He was identified as Richard Brunk Jr., 43, of Blanchester. He was charged with littering, a misdemeanor offense.“
On Sunday, Sept. 9, a passing Blanchester police officer observed a Blanchester man dumping non-recyclables into the dumpster. Reinbolt said the officer explained the restrictions on the use of the dumpsters to the man, who then removed the items from the dumpster.
“In talking to residents, it appears to us that there is a misconception that the dumpsters are ‘donation boxes’ where items for the needy can be placed. This is not the case,” he said.
“The police department is short-handed and busy with other crimes, so if folks could please follow the rules with regard to use of the recycling dumpsters it would be a great help to everyone.”
