1,200 people's junk finds home on Free Dump Day


Sunday, April 10, 2005

By Angie Kinsey akinsey@paducahsun.com--270.575.8657

Picture by: BARKLEY THIELEMAN/The Sun
Dirty job: Class D McCracken inmate Michael Egner unloads a trailer at the CWI Transfer facility on Free Dump Day Saturday.

Eight Class D inmates worked at The CWI transfer facility on Saturday April 9th.


Pat Stephenson knew exactly how to describe the treasure trove of items piled on trailers and in pickup trucks that rolled into the CWI Transfer and Recycling Station on Burnett Street Saturday.

"It's junk," said Stephenson, county road department supervisor who helped organize the annual Free Dump Day for Paducah and McCracken County residents. "It's junk that's been sitting around for years and they're finally getting rid of it.

"We're down on appliances," he added. "We're down on everything. Maybe the county is finally getting cleaned up."

The first refuse-laden vehicle pulled up on Burnett Street at 4 a.m., although trash wasn't accepted until 7. "At 6:30, they were lined up all the way to the Loop," Stephenson said.

Randy Hines went through the line twice with loads of tires, about 40 in all. "I bought a house two years ago and I inherited these tires with it," he said. "I don't know any other way to get rid of it, so I'm glad to see this."

Bobby Collier waited in line for 30 minutes to rid himself of about 12 bicycles that once belonged to his children and grandchildren. "It's time to clean out," he said.

Mark Drysdale, operations manager for CWI of Kentucky, estimated about 1,200 residents took advantage of the sunny weather to drop off trash for free.

"If they don't bring it here, they're going to take it somewhere," Drysdale said. "This is when you can see your tax dollars at use. The ones I admire are the really ambitious ones who learn how to bring three or four truckloads."

Robert Wallace of Fremont loaded a trailer with old household items, including bed sheets, window blinds and fans. "It's junk," Wallace said, echoing Stephenson's earlier assessment. "I just moved and its 11 years worth of junk."

County, city and CWI workers and low-risk inmates helped unload the trash, which was taken to a landfill in Union City, Tenn.

"We see a little of everything," said James "Manny" Ware, a truck driver for the city refuse department. "We see couches, TVs and anything from hot water heaters to tires and computers. It's anything and everything."

Ware said he didn't mind spending a nice Saturday unloading trash. "We look forward to it," he said. "It lets the streets get cleaned up and makes our city and county look nice."