Mahoning County recycling division launching a public awareness campaign

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County recycling division is launching a public awareness campaign as to what should and should not go into the bins at the county’s 30 recycling drop-off sites, Lou Vega, division director, told the county’s solid waste policy committee this morning.

Paper and cardboard, glass bottles, metal cans and plastic containers should be dropped into those bins, he said.

However, other plastic items, such as kiddie pools and playground equipment, should not be placed in the bins because the conveyor belts at facilities that sort and bundle recyclables are not equipped to handle them, he said.

“If you can buy it in your grocery store, it’s acceptable,” Vega said of plastic items that should go in the drop-off bins.

Among the items that should not go into the drop off bins are electronic items, appliances and porcelain toilets, he said.

The recycling division sponsors separate electronics and appliance drives.

A household appliance collection will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Covelli Centre, along with motor vehicle tire collection from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day at that location.

A household hazardous waste collection will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Canfield Fairgrounds, Gate 9.