Cranberry Township’s bins for recycled materials are about to go away.
The township supervisors voted Thursday to discontinue the recycling program, open to all township residents, by the end of June.
The half-dozen bins, installed by Tri-County Industries of Grove City in 2006 adjacent to the township building, accept plastics, metal and paper products designated as appropriate for recycling.
“The original fee was $200 for a large bin and that is now $225 per bin. Plus it costs us $41 a ton (of collected materials),” said Findlay, adding that grant monies available to help pay the costs are shrinking.
In addition, the clutter is accumulating, due in part to a ban several months ago on using plastic bags to hold recyclables, and “more items are being blown around everywhere,” he said. The situation requires township employees to spend considerable time cleaning the area, he said.
“And, more and more people outside the township are using them. It is costing Cranberry Township more and that is a burden on our taxpayers,” said Findlay. “It is unfair to our residents and our employees.”
In reference to a global decrease in the acceptance of recycled materials, Harold Best, chairman of the supervisors, said, “Recycling is getting to a place where nobody wants it.”
Supervisor Fred Buckholtz described the recycling operation as “not fair to the people of Cranberry Township”, and supervisor Jerry Brosius added that the recycling operations became less desirable once the plastic bags were banned and other materials, including glass, were omitted from the collection list.
Meanwhile, the county is still exploring locations for a county-wide recycling operation and is continuing to key in on Cranberry Township. An earlier plan to use a Cranberry Area School District maintenance building off Route 257 was dropped due to an access problem.
“The county is attempting to locate another location … and still eyeing Cranberry Township,” said Findlay.
The county received a $345,502 state grant in October 2018 to develop and equip a county-wide recycling center. A restriction, though, calls for the grant recipient to build a facility within one year of getting the grant.
Speeding is a concern
In other business Thursday, township resident Pat Gibbons asked the supervisors to consider installing a speed bump on North Main Street, a residential street with a 25-miles-per-hour speed limit. He said vehicles are speeding on the roadway and children are at risk.
Gibbons said a removable speed bump is in place on a Franklin street and is taken up at winter to avoid damaging snow plows.
Contracts awarded
The supervisors voted to approve bids for various road materials.
Getting the contracts for oil, gasoline and diesel delivery, anti-skid and other materials were Bayless Fuel, Cooperstown Sand and Gravel, Allegheny Mineral, Midland Asphalt and Russell Standard.
Bill Vonada, superintendent of Cranberry Area School District, was named to the township’s economic development committee.
