Montgomery County is experiencing a violent crime wave, but has defunded 27 police officer positions. The County was chastised last year for leaving 54 positions unfilled at its 911 call center, a failure that was highlighted by a 36 minute response time to a fatal drowning incident. Those are far from the only areas of government understaffed, as witnesses to the collapse of a rusted-out traffic signal pole in Bethesda this week can attest. But the County's Department of Environmental Protection appears to be well-staffed, as it will demonstrate this morning in Bethesda.
According to a press release, DEP inspectors will go house-to-house in the neighborhood near Walt Whitman High School, and rifle through each resident's recycling bin. "Reporters and camera crews will be able to follow the inspectors" starting at 6:30 AM this morning, in what appears to be a massive violation of residents' privacy. This was clearly the wrong week to toss your unshredded sensitive documents or Playboy collection. Do you read the wrong newspaper, or drink too many boxed alcoholic beverages? We may find out this morning!
The "Oops Tag" program quietly began two months ago, the press release states. Inspectors have had the time and manpower to already sweep through those early-targeted neighborhoods "two to three times." Rummaging through residents' recycling bins, they have left a tag on those which contained items that cannot be recycled, identifying the ineligible items. Such ineligible items cost taxpayers approximately $750,000 in 2020, the press release says.
13 comments:
Umm, yes, it's not new for DEP to go around placing notice stickers on bins that are erroneously putting trash into the recycling bin. That's literally their job. Implying that news organizations would be broadcasting identifiable information is comical.
I'm in Hillmead off Greentree and got a tag a few weeks ago. I didn't know the genesis of it and now have to assume a camera image was taken. You have to remember that they own those bins and likely the bins aren't on private property at least mine aren't they're on the street. Still, it does seem like a violation. Unreal.
5:23: The media tag-along is just for today's press event.
5:19: DEP is advertising this as a new initiative. It's beyond creepy to invite camera crews to go house-to-house while the government rifles through your garbage.
We all know news orgs will be showing random B-roll of recycling cans while interviewing whoever the DEP talking head is. Your Playboys are safe, Robert.
The fearmongering on this site is so random sometimes.
Robert, you're right on the creepy. That's an understatement. I don't care if there's a media tag along as you say. All I am saying is that I've already had a sticker placed on my bin and it wasn't put there by the folks that collect the garbage and recycling.
Saw this on News 7 this AM. The staffer highlighted a frying pan from an unidentified house that was misplaced in recycling and talked about the separate bins for cardboard/paper and cans/glass/plastic. I think everyone survived the encounter with big bad government.
There was a supreme court case about this years ago as the police went dumpster diving to get evidence on someone. It was ruled legal once you put something out to be considered as trash (I assume recycling falls into this category).
I don't really have an issue with them going through it, but putting it on TV is not a great way to encourage people to recycle. I'd just put all my stuff in the trash if I know they'd be rifling through my recycling bin to point out my mistakes!
6:58: Did Channel 7 question them about how Montgomery County can afford so many extra personnel to rummage through people's garbage while there are glaring vacancies in public safety departments?
5:50: I've simply stated the facts as they were given in the official press release. A media outlet raising the obvious questions about misplaced priorities and resources - and the creep factor of blue bin diving house-to-house - is apparently quite rare in our area, but hardly "fearmongering." The only fear is among our elected officials, that there will actually be media coverage that questions their mismanagement of government instead of praising it.
7:15: You are correct on that - it's almost certainly legal for them to do this. It's more a question of the optics and priorities in the deployment of public resources on this, and whether recycling bins are actually the biggest crisis in the county at the moment.
We are Cuba
Big brother is watching
Our neighborhood in Bethesda where doors used to be left open in good ole days has now had 7 home invasions
Never see one police car
Not in neighborhood, not on streets or Bradley Blvd
Insanity
Basically pleading with people to leave
Given everything going on in the country right now, this seems like the least of my concerns. I really don't get the outrage. Spending a relatively small amount of taxpayers money to reduce an annual expenditure of $750,000 doesn't seem like a bad deal. I don't know if the $750,000 number is accurate nor whether the effort will significantly reduce it, but if so, it seems well worth it. And, it potentially provides environmental benefits too. Re: Privacy. I'm much more worried about the electronic information collecting and tracking on my phone, computer, car, etc., mostly by private companies; then anything that might get revealed in my recycling bin. Trumpists attacking the capital and plotting to blowup Democratic headquarters in Sacromento, continuing efforts to undo a free and fair election, efforts to limit minority voters, the insane Arizona audit and its evil spawn. Those are truly CREEPY!
Of course there are those that think that 750K is no big deal until it's their money, but then again liberals think that everyone's money is theirs to spend as they see fit. Unfortunately that bowl will soon be empty at which point it's time to print more!
If these people actually bother to read outside of what their conformation bias news outlets say they should regurgitate, they might find that repeating the lie doesn't always equal the truth. So funny that liberals are willing to die on the hill that says voting with a proper ID is racist. Those who see racism everywhere are the racists and exemplify everything that's wrong in this country.
Meanwhile these same liberals would rather have people like Lightfoot & Cuomo running this country because Black Lives actually don't Matter to these people.
Anonymous 5:08 comment seems incoherent to me. First of all the "liberals" were the ones trying to reduce the 750K waste of money by taking proactive action to do so...whether or not you agree with the way they were doing it. Second, those who don't see racism anywhere in this country or with 5:08's comments are racists and exemplify everything that's wrong with 5:08 and his minority of the country. Third, NY liberals are the one fighting hard to remove Cuomo. Fourth, Voting with a proper ID is not racist, but targeting black voters with voter suppression measures in red and purple states based on the Big Lie and the fact that Trump can't win an election when there is good turnout and free and fair elections most certainly is!
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