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12/21/2018 – For the convenience of local schools and citizens, Owasso Public Schools partnering with  Mr. Murph, placed recycling bins at area school sites. These containers provided an easy and convenient way for you to drop off your cardboard,  paper, and plastic for delivery to Mr. Murph for recycling. 

Unfortunately, these bins began bringing in a lot more than recycling.   Bags of garbage, old mattresses and even a discarded toilet have been found dumped at school locations.  Items left outside the bins are often found blowing across school property and into surrounding neighborhoods.

Brad Yokley with Owasso Public Schools tells us Mr Murph is a valuable program that they want in the schools, but they cannot keep up with the misuse. Every Owasso School takes part in recycling, but unfortunately some bins have had to be removed.

Despite an increase in pick-up days and cleanup efforts, repeated misuse resulted in recycle bins at Bailey Elementary, Hodson Elementary, the 6th Grade Center and the High School West Campus to be removed.

Yokley says they have been working with Mr Murph and the City of Owasso to try and come up with a solution.

Ator Elementary recycle bins may soon be removed as well, for the same issues. These bins are overfilled daily with junk and trash instead of recycling, and can become quite an eyesore for neighbors, especially when that trash makes it way into their front yards.

The Owasso 8th Grade Center bin was recently moved to a lower traffic location.  Overflow from that bin would often make its way to neighboring homes and a nearby wooded area. So far, moving the bin has helped with those issues.

Owasso Public Schools continue to monitor and assess sites, trying to find a solution for the problem.

For the last several years, large dumpsters have been placed at these locations during the holidays to collect Christmas boxes and wrapping paper discards. As the recycle bins are now gone, sadly so is the option for Christmas waste collection bins.

It is often said one person can ruin things for everyone, but in this case, many are the cause.

What is the solution?  When it comes right down to it, we are.  Do the right thing. Play by the rules.  It will result in the best outcome for everyone.

 

Photo via Tom Medford – Facebook