Kansas county installs surveillance cameras at recycling site

Miami County, Kansas, Commissioners agreed to install surveillance cameras near recycling trailers at the county’s solid waste facility near Paola after multiple instances of misuse, a report by the Miami County Republic says.

According to the report, electronics, unrecyclable waste and other unacceptable items were found at the recycling trailers, which are provided by Deffenbaugh Industries, a Waste Management company based in Kansas City, Kansas, that also operates the county transfer station. With surveillance cameras, the county will see who is dumping the unacceptable items and if residential education is necessary.

If the recycling bins are contaminated, the waste will be sent to landfill instead of the recycling center, the report says. 

The area is currently open 24 hours per day, the report says. Other options discussed during the meeting include gating the area and putting hours on it, but commissioners were concerned with the difficulties gating would create. According to the report, recycling bins throughout several cities in the county were removed, making the trailers one of the only drop-off locations.

Additional signage showing residents what is acceptable will also be implemented.