GEORGETOWN, Ohio – Nov. 8, 2011 – Rumpke has discontinued the collection of tree limbs and branches larger than a ½” in diameter from Tate Township, including the village of Bethel, Ohio, due to the recent Asian Longhorned Beetle infestation. Limbs and branches set at the curb will not be collected.
In June, officials from the United States Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of the Asian Longhorned Beetle in the region. The Asian Longhorned Beetle kills trees it infests and if left unchecked, will spread to adjacent trees. Earlier this year, both the state of Ohio and the federal government placed the 55.8 square mile area comprised of the entire Tate Township and portions of East Fork State Park under quarantine, and Governor Kasich signed an executive order that prohibits the movement of any trees or woody debris greater than ½” in diameter. To help prevent the spread of the invasive insect, at the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rumpke has discontinued the collection of tree limbs from the quarantined zone.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Department of Agriculture will set up a drop off site yet this year to dispose of the contaminated tree limbs and branches.
For additional information, please visit the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services’ website, www.aphis.usda.gov or call 513-502-1438.
Rumpke Consolidated Companies, Inc. has been committed to keeping neighborhoods and businesses clean and green since 1932 by providing environmentally friendly waste disposal solutions. Headquartered in Colerain Township, Ohio, Rumpke is one of the nation’s largest privately owned residential and commercial waste and recycling firms, providing service to areas of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. Rumpke divisions include Rumpke Recycling, Rumpke Portable Restrooms, The William-Thomas Group, Rumpke Hydraulics, Rumpke Haul-it-Away and Rumpke Park. Please visit www.rumpke.com for more information.
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