Resident urges Carroll County to resume plastic recycling, warns of landfill toxins

Jimmy Capps of 453 Wayside Road spoke during the Oct. 7 public-comment period to urge the Carroll County Board of Commissioners to reconsider placing all plastic in the landfill rather than recycling it.

Capps told commissioners he researched plastic decomposition and said, "Plastic items can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in landfills. Plastic bags can take 15 to 25 years to decompose. Plastic bottles take 40 to 50 years or more." He said plastics in landfills emit toxins into soil, water and air and argued the county should invest in recycling rather than accept a contractor's decision to send all plastics to landfills because sorting was "too expensive."

Capps also criticized a large local commercial building he described as a "Taj Mahal," saying local resources exist that could sort recyclables. He concluded by asking the board to consider recycling as an option.

The commission's public-comment rules were read before remarks; the board did not respond to Capps' comments during the public-comment period and no formal action was taken on the matter at the meeting.