Residents using the Casella recycling bins located across from the Bradford Township municipal building are asked to be more conscientious — or the bins could be taken away.

Bradford Township Police Chief Robb Shipman explained the three recycling Dumpsters are “not any responsibility of the township’s” — yet township employees often end up cleaning the mess left by behind.

This includes township reception/billing clerk Kathy Little, who Shipman said has spearheaded the recycling effort.

Shipman explained that the Dumpsters fill up quickly, and when people find them full, they throw their trash on the ground next to the Dumpsters.

This is littering — and often recyclables that are not properly taken care of end up in the landfill.

Little said if the issues continue, they will have no choice but to stop.

Despite the township’s efforts to educate residents on what to do, “Instead of getting better, it’s getting worse,” said Shipman.

He noted that the bins were taken away a couple of years ago, but they were brought back because residents complained.

“We’re just asking people to recycle responsibly,” said Little. “If you’re going to recycle, don’t litter.”

If the bins are full, residents are asked to bring their recyclables back another time.

Little noted that often when trash is left on the ground, the bins are not all full. People just see the trash on the ground and assume the containers are full.

If residents take a few minutes to look in the bins they may find there is more room.

The containers are switched out three times a week — usually on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

“If it’s full, we apologize, but we can’t control that. Bring it back,” she said.

Another rule?

“Absolutely no plastic bags whatsoever. It automatically goes to the landfill,” said Little, who explained that when items are left in plastic bags, Casella employees are not able to go through every bag to sort trash from recyclables.

Little also advised people, “Don’t stockpile.”

She noted that a man recently brought enough recyclables at one time that he filled up one bin.

The problem not only affects township employees, but also neighbors and township taxpayers.

“People will leave bags full of garbage or boxes full of magazines and newspaper,” Shipman said, adding that when the wind picks up, the trash blows all over the neighborhood.

“That’s now fair to the people who live in this neighborhood,” said Little.

According to Shipman, township resources, such as employee time and trucks, are used to clean up the mess.

“The taxpayers pay for us to clean this up,” he said.

Little said she spend an hour and a half a couple weeks ago cleaning up a mess outside the containers.

According to Shipman and Little, the township bins are only one of three such locations in McKean County, with others located in Kane and Smethport. Also, the city of Bradford has a recycling program for its residents.

Little added that residents who have their garbage collected by Casella — such as those in Foster Township — have recycling as part of their garbage pick-up service.

According to a brochure on Casella’s Zero-Sort Recycling, the company accepts recyclables such as corrugated cardboard, boxboard and paper cartons, file folders, office paper, newspaper, mail and greeting cards, magazines, phone books, plastic containers #1-#7, large rigid plastics such as 5-gallon pails and laundry basket, glass food and beverage bottles and aluminum, tin and foil such as empty metal and aerosol cans and glass bottles.

People are asked to empty and rinse containers and flatten and break down cardboard boxes. Breaking down boxes helps keep the containers from filling up too fast.

Only recyclables can be put in the bins.

According to the township, items that will not be accepted include window pane, mirrors, light bulbs, dishes Pyrex, ceramics, paper towels, facial tissues, Styrofoam, anything with food waste, paints, oils, hazardous material, needles, syringes, VCR tapes, CDs, DVDs, scrap metal, pots, pans, batteries, hardcover books, clothing/textiles, wood/lumber, yard trimmings and three-ring/spiral notebooks.

Township police and employees will monitor the site, and anyone caught littering could face a fine between $50 and $300.

Visit casella.com/ZeroSort for more information on the recycling program. Information on Bradford City’s recycling program can be found at http://www.bradfordpa.com.