If You Don’t Know How To Recycle? Don’t Do It!

As a volunteer at the Brooks Township Recycling Site, opening and closing for their Saturday hours, most of the time I find it to be as it should be. Neat and clean with burgeoning dumpsters filled with appropriate material and little disregard for the operation.
Oh, once there was a Barbie House sitting alongside a dumpster and occasionally there are those who still believe wood is recyclable and of course getting folks to crush boxes can be a challenge from the looks of things.
But as I said for the most part it’s been good.
Which is a relief since misuse of sites has led to closures (former  Fremont site) and an increase in expense at a time when the program is looking to pare costs.
This past weekend the photo above shows what greeted me.
Obviously the person who dropped off the uncrushed boxes and items in plastic bags not accepted at the sites was either puzzled by the locked gates (there are specific hours for a reason) or just decided they were too busy to return at an appropriate time.
While it is a reach to think they might recognize themselves and be shamed into better behavior this is for others who might not realize that when gates are locked, recycle is closed. 
As in not open. 
As in, come back when  the hours indicate it's open.
Brooks Township Site Is Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday From 9am to 3pm and sometimes later than 3 on Saturdays if I get distracted by having too much fun and don’t get there until later that day.
Thank you to all who recycle responsibly.
And those who don’t?
If you’re going to ruin it for the rest of us, do me a favor and stop, reevaluate, and decide if you’re capable of playing by the rules.
If not?
Then don’t play at all.

_ A Recycling Volunteer and Advocate