Something so easy shouldn’t be so hard.
But the Town of Middleburgh isn’t overly-optimistic that residents will be able to use a free drop-off site for old paint without messing things up.
Supervisor Wes Laraway first began talking with reps from Green Sheen, a Denver-based paint recycling and manufacturing company with a facility at the Rotterdam Corporate Park, about six months ago.
The drop-off would be free to residents—and the town; GreenSheen recycles and purifies the dropped-off paint into a few primary colors, redistributing it to retailers for sale.
It would be perfect for Middleburgh, Mr. Laraway said, but the process—and the lengthy contract—are more complicated than expected and staff that already oversees the town’s recyclables would need to check the paint cans too.
“Do I sign the contract?” Mr. Laraway asked Thursday.
Yes.
“But if I come in and there are paint cans all over—and unfortunately, I think that’s what’s going to happen—I’m going to close it all down,” said Highway Superintendent Steve Kowalski.
No problem. Mr. Laraway and councilmen agreed.
The town continues to have problems at the “dump” on Cotton Hill Road, where residents are allowed to leave brush and leaves, but contractors are using it for construction debris and others are using it for old appliances, ignoring the signs prohibiting both.
Mr. Kowalski said in July he’s afraid DEC will get alarmed about what’s going on at the site and close it down.
Thursday, he said things haven’t gotten any better.
Loggers working locally have left about 20 loads of tree tops and stump there he said.
“It’s a dump for brush. That’s not what it’s for,” he said.”
“As soon as they start making a mess with paint cans…they can go to MOSA.”
Agreed, Mr. Laraway said.
“But it can be such a good thing. I think we should give it a try.”