Dive summary:

• Residents in Ashland, Mo., have to pay the price for overflowing recycling bins that some residents are using as trash receptacles.
• The bins are emptied weekly but it is proving not to be sufficient, after the two bins fill up residents start dumping their recyclables as well as trash such as old mattresses and Christmas trees around the bin.
• It will cost taxpayers $40 to have Allied Waste to come haul away the discarded mess, not including the time it took for the city maintenance crews to move the trash.

From the article:

Although the two recycling bins are emptied weekly, the bins had become full and then some. Boxes were strewn about the gravel lot. An old couch and mattress had been left behind as well as a Christmas tree and its trimmings and trash was strewn about the area.

Harris sent photos to the Journal, posted them on Facebook and cried "foul" at the deplorable situation. ...