Pennsylvania Department, Recyclers Release Report

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania released a report confirming that a lack of disposal options is compounding the problem of illegal trash dumping in state parks and forests.

``In order to stop illegal dumping in our woodlands, we must address disposal options, particularly in rural communities,'' DCNR secretary John Oliver said. ``This report confirms what we suspected to be true -- dumping is more prevalent in areas where disposal options are limited or unknown.''

The report proposes solutions including technical assistance to municipalities.

``When presented with convenient and affordable disposal and recycling opportunities, the vast majority of the public will do the right thing,'' said John Frederick, executive director of the Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania. ``However, a great many local governments find it difficult to provide recycling and disposal services to their constituents.''

According to a survey of local government officials, illegal dumping practices are more prevalent when:

Disposal and recycling facilities are inconvenient;

Local waste or recycling ordinances are inadequate or enforcement is lax;

Collection services, especially for problematic items like appliances, bulky wastes, tires and C&D waste, are inadequate or absent; and

Recycling or proper disposal education programs do not exist in the community.

The report offers these specific recommendations:

Technical assistance needs to be provided to help groups understand responsibilities;

Efficient and cost-effective collection programs need to be provided or facilitated;

Counties need to provide local governments with support and coordination for education, technical assistance and collection programs; and

Education needs to be provided to inform the public of how to properly dispose of waste and recyclables.

As part of the Forest Lands Beautification Program, the Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania is offering free, technical assistance to township supervisors, county commissioners and borough councils whose jurisdictions are in or surrounding state parks and forests.

The organization also is publishing a manual for local government officials on comprehensive municipal-waste practices in cooperation with the state Department of Environmental Protection.

DEP already offers free technical assistance to municipalities to help them start or improve recycling, ``Pay-As-You-Throw'' and composting programs.

The Forest Lands Beautification Act provides up to $7.5 million over five years to clean up existing dumps on state forest and park lands by recycling or properly disposing of waste materials.

The program is funded by the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, administered by the Department of Environmental Protection.