The one day a year when Cummins Inc. invites the community to recycle a wide variety of materials free is coming up soon.
More than 1,000 people are expected to drop off household recyclables, appliances, electronics and more during the ninth annual Cummins Community-Wide Recycle Day. The event will be 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 13, just inside the Central Avenue entrance to the Columbus Engine Plant, also known as Plant 1.
Some residents wait all year for this event because Cummins Inc. accepts many different types of items that are often difficult to recycle — and it’s free.
Although last year’s recycle day was disrupted by occasional rain, it still attracted 1,113 vehicles dropping off a record number of items, said Cummins Inc. environmental supervisor David Wehrkamp.
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Having Bartholomew County’s largest employer hosting and promoting the recycling day is just one reason why Cummins Community-Wide Recycle Day keeps gaining in popularity, Wehrkamp said.
“The other reason is that so many people don’t know what else to do with several of these items,” he said.
In 2017 and 2018, more than 200 Cummins employees volunteered to direct motorists to the appropriate area or provide unloading assistance during the day-long event. Wehrkamp said he anticipates a similar or larger number of volunteers on June 13.
The most popular items dropped off last year were large appliances including refrigerators, excess cans of paint and older televisions containing tubes, Wehrkamp said.
Besides traditional recyclables including plastic, glass and paper, other accepted items include used batteries, metal, aluminum or steel cans, gently used clothing and shoes, bricks and concrete blocks, electronic waste and used motor oil.
For the first time ever, durable medical devices are being accepted this year, organizers said. This includes wheelchairs, transport chairs, rollators, walkers, crutches, canes, knee scooters, shower chairs, bedside commodes and seat risers.
However, there are items such as tractor tires that even Cummins Inc. can’t accept, Wehrkamp said.
“Tractor tires have to be quartered before they are accepted into a landfill, and that is a very expensive proposition,” Wehrkamp said. “They are also very heavy and difficult to move around.”
Pressure vessels and propane tanks also can’t be accepted because they are hazardous and dangerous when not maintained in a controlled environment, he said.
Styrofoam is also on the unacceptable list because few firms will recycle the material, and the company does not have a proper way to move it, Wehrkamp said.
Other unacceptable items include household light bulbs, mercury thermometers, chemicals and pesticides because each contains ingredients that could create environmental concerns, Wehrkamp said.
Recyclables need to be clean, and sorted before the drop-off, organizers said. Most materials that are collected are donated to local Cummins partners to be recycled.
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What: Community-Wide Recycling Day hosted by Cummins Inc.
When: Thursday, June 13, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Parking lot adjacent to the entrance of the Columbus Engine Plant, located at 500 Central Ave.
How much: Free
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Recyclables accepted include:
- Plastic bottles and containers #1-7
- Glass bottles
- Cardboard and paper
- Used batteries (all types)
- Metal cans (aluminum and steel)
- Household paint
- Shoes and clothing
- Bricks and concrete blocks
- Electronic waste
- Used motor oil
- Durable medical devices
- Appliances and electronics
- Scrap metal
- Tires (pickup size or smaller, four-tire limit)
- Antifreeze
- 4′ flourescent bulbs
- Compact fluorescent lights
Items not accepted:
- Styrofoam
- Tractor tires
- Household light bulbs
- Mercury thermometers
- Chemicals or pesticides
- Pressure vessels/tanks (propane cylinders)
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