Recycling Committee Still Hoping for More Bins in Orange

The Orange Recycling Committee is trying to step up efforts to put more recycle bins around town, according to committee member Kathryn Lafontana, but the campaign may end up a long-term project. Lafontana addressed the Parks and Recreation Commission at its meeting last week to let members know the town isn't performing up to state goals, and proposed an equal number of recycling bins be made available at Old Tavern Park and High Plains Community Center.

"We'd like to see an equal number of recycle bins are there are trash receptacles," Lafontana told Patch. "The state statute talks about that."

But some obstacles stand in the way. Lafontana says there have been problems with people not using the bins properly, or even stealing the bins. And as they've pursed this initiative, the committee has met contention at several meetings from town officials who express concern that trash is ending up in the bins.

, the committee rejected an alternative proposal from Public Works that would have switched Orange to larger bins and a biweekly pickup schedule for residents. Patch Facebook comments backed up the idea: in response, Patch reader Nicole DeFur Feuerstein wrote, "I lived in Arizona for 5 years and we had the big recycling bins. They were fabulous. We didn't have to sort the recycling we just tossed it all in the bin and we recycled a lot more out there because it was easier. Rolling the bin out to the end of the driveway seemed easier than carrying the bin we have here...."

At the most recent Parks and Recreation committee meeting, questions were raised about people going through bins to remove recyclables.

"We told them that's not necessarily a bad thing," Lafontana said. "At least the contents do get recycled."

Working with a donation from the Orange Foundation -- which will go toward lids for receptacles -- the recycling committee hopes to offset some of the cost of expansion. They're hoping for a booth at the Country Fair that can bring attention to the cause, and they've already produced a video featuring students from Orange public schools and a song written by Al DeCant.

Fontana said there's not much the committee can do right now, since the next budget year starts in November.

"But perhaps we could have something in place by the time of the Country Fair," she said.