The most recent of these was Friday. Employees spotted smoke from a pile of recyclables and acted quickly, the company said, pushing the smoldering cardboard outside the facility and extinguishing it before anyone was injured, equipment was damaged or much material was lost.
Rumpke is asking its customers to be more conscious about what they place in their trash and recycling - and keep batteries out of it.
“Our guys do a great job of being attentive to the material they are working with, and understanding how to manage situations such as this,” said Rumpke Recycling Plant Manager Keith Clack. “We want our team to be safe, and that means helping our communities learn and understand what is and what is not recyclable.”
Lithium-ion batteries - found in phones, e-cigarettes, laptops, motorized scooters, power tools, toys, greeting cards and others - can’t go in regular curbside trash or recycling.
Each county’s website has information about how and where to safely dispose of batteries, the company said.
Other flammable things often erroneously tossed during the summer include everything from propane tanks and used charcoal to pool chemicals and other combustible materials, the company said.
Acceptable items for recycling include cardboard and paper, plastic, aluminum and paper cups, aluminum and tin cans, plastic bottles, tubs and jugs, and glass bottles and jars.
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