Leo Zuber is concerned about illegal dumping of items at the Ripon Recycling Center.

The Ripon City Council member would like to see a report on such cases in town. "I have no concept of how much is being done," he said at the March meeting.

Zuber has been involved with the joint city / school program for quite some time -- the City of Ripon, Ripon Unified School District and American Recycling have set up the local recycling center to benefit students at Weston, Ripon, Ripona, Park View and Colony Oak elementary schools. The facility on Industrial Avenue is open for residential (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon) and commercial businesses (Tuesday, 10 a.m. to noon).

He's received good reports regarding the new fencing at the recycling center, in terms of controlling some of the dumping.

Acceptable items are cardboard, mixed paper, glass, beverage containers (CRV), monitors, televisions, newspaper, aluminum cans, plastic, and polystyrene No. 6 styrofoam.

Zuber noted that one incident consisted of seven to eight bags containing some gray foam packaging material being recently placed in the styrofoam bin. "We're getting stuff that shouldn't be there," he said.

Mayor Daniel de Graaf asked if items are being dumped that are not allowed or if items are being dumped at the wrong times. 

Zuber responded, saying it used to be both but now it is mostly items not allowed.

Mayor de Graaf also asked Director of Public Works James Pease if the City has an issue with people dumping used tires. 

He mentioned that sometimes people would dump used tires by the river or in the area of Flying J Travel Center. "The City is currently working with a County program that allows them to drop off (used tires)," Pease said.

In addition, Zuber would like more information from staff on the set up of cameras and lighting at the Ripon Recycling Center.