LIMA — Greg Stumbaugh likes to joke with his co-worker, Donna Campbell, that it takes teamwork to make a dream work.
But that quotation, which Campbell is so fond of, was on display Saturday at The Lima News as employees teamed up with local recycling groups to accept old water-based paint, electronic equipment, and papers for shredding.
“It was quite the success,” Stumbaugh said.
More than 500 cars rolled through the parking lot on Elida Road, sometimes forming a line up to 60-vehicles deep during the four-hour event that filled a truck with old computer monitors, VCRs and other dated electronic equipment in 90 minutes.
Workers had to direct people to the Goodwill on Cable Road, which was taking the equipment after the truck filled and left.
Three hours into the event the truck holding paper was full and the remaining cars turned away. A truck was filled with paint and those with American Paint Recyclers began stacking it in the parking lot while another truck was on the way.
Jeremy Brinkman of American Paint Recyclers said they took in 3,000 cans of old paint.
“We take all the good paint, we treat it and we make it a really good product again. Paint like this would have ended up in a landfill,” he said.
That paint will be processed and later sold for about $12 a gallon at a restore. Old paint is good paint because it is stickier, Brinkman said.
Dropping off paint was Cindy Larschied, of Shawnee Township.
“I am a big environmentalist. I recycle like crazy,” she said.
Stumbaugh said the most popular drop off was paint.
Ann Benfield, of Delphos, brought 15 cans of paint representing two houses and 16 years’ worth of coloring.
“There’s not too many of these days we can dispose of paint. I do not want to put it in the landfill. This is a great opportunity,” Benfield said.
Benfield also had computer equipment, VCRs, speakers and an old photo printer.
“Technology has moved on so all the computers and the printers, that’s where it goes,” she said. “It works but it’s outdated.”
Janet Kreinbrink, of Leipsic, cleared old cans of paint out of her basement that were taking up space.
“It’s important to not throw it in the trash and dispose of it properly,” she said.
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
