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The drop-off location for recycling, next to the Colorado State Patrol headquarters, will be monitored with video cameras to try and deter illegal dumping.
SUMMIT COUNTY — The new recycling drop-off center in Frisco, next to the Colorado State Patrol headquarters, will soon be monitored with video cameras to deter illegal dumping.
The drop-off center was moved as the county started working on the new fleet maintenance facility just across the street. High Country Conservation Center director Carly Wier said there's been an increase in illegal dumping of items like televisions in the past several months.
“It's increased in the past year,” Wier said. “I have a couple of theories. Maybe people are broke, so they don't want to pay the drop-off fees.”
At least a couple of times in the past year, a dozen TVs have been illegally left at the drop-off site, Wier said. The surveillance cameras could be used to try and track down the culprits in those more egregious cases, she added.
In any case, Wier said it's costing the county more money to deal with things like the TVs. And recently, a container for oil was contaminated with gasoline, resulting in a $3,000 clean-up.
Another question that's come up recently is how much scavenging to allow, said Charlotte Clark, a volunteer who helps people with the ins and outs of recycling.
Clark, who spends a few days each week at the drop-off center, said she's seen more people recently scouring the bins in search of valuable metals. One man recently collected old batteries and said he wanted to remove the lead. Someone else sorted through old appliances, snipping off the copper wires, Clark said.
“It's getting pretty consistent,” Clark said of the level of scavenging.
Wier said that trend might also be related to the economy, as people look for ways to make a little extra cash.
The drop-off center was moved as the county started working on the new fleet maintenance facility just across the street. High Country Conservation Center director Carly Wier said there's been an increase in illegal dumping of items like televisions in the past several months.
“It's increased in the past year,” Wier said. “I have a couple of theories. Maybe people are broke, so they don't want to pay the drop-off fees.”
At least a couple of times in the past year, a dozen TVs have been illegally left at the drop-off site, Wier said. The surveillance cameras could be used to try and track down the culprits in those more egregious cases, she added.
In any case, Wier said it's costing the county more money to deal with things like the TVs. And recently, a container for oil was contaminated with gasoline, resulting in a $3,000 clean-up.
Another question that's come up recently is how much scavenging to allow, said Charlotte Clark, a volunteer who helps people with the ins and outs of recycling.
Clark, who spends a few days each week at the drop-off center, said she's seen more people recently scouring the bins in search of valuable metals. One man recently collected old batteries and said he wanted to remove the lead. Someone else sorted through old appliances, snipping off the copper wires, Clark said.
“It's getting pretty consistent,” Clark said of the level of scavenging.
Wier said that trend might also be related to the economy, as people look for ways to make a little extra cash.
