HHW / Salvage shed and a few other things.

[Lou]

      HHW otherwise Household hazardous waste.  A great service to the Residents of Orange county North Carolina. As I was instructed when working for Orange County Solid Waste , the site's accepting HHW could only take in residential waste only! Hauled away by Tradebe environmental services. 

      On several occasions I was instructed to take in waste from Orange county government. I questioned this action with my supervisor at that time. I was told that it was OK to do it. He said. It was wrong but he was following orders . Sometimes I believed he feared he would loose his job if he questioned those orders. I Only had 3 supervisors  during the time of my employment. Others also believed it was wrong . If they ever got caught taking in items from the county they could lose funding for the program and could be fined. Last time I checked Orange county is a commercial entity. I am sure fleet services is part of that entity. They may have had a few drums of unknown substances dropped off at HHW. Not sure if the County paid extra for that service.  They may have. You could check with Tradebe environmental services. Im sure they keep very accurate records. 

     You may want to check on the large amounts of Mercury that needed to be disposed of.  Not accepted at HHW unless it was in its original container.  Not mason jars of it. Also in medical equipment dropped off at HHW by UNC of Chapelhill.I am sure phone calls were not made to them. Maybe a letter with a hand slap and a written warning not to do again.A lot of unknown items not labeled being dropped off also. Should not be accepted. 

      Im sure you will here from management that they have addressed these issues.  Or you may even hear the director throw his assistant Director under the Bus with this statement.  First time I  have heard of this.Please remember someone had to approve extra money paid to Tradebe environmental services. 

      You may even want to look into the salvage shed at Eubanks.  Alot of drugs and needles found there. I believe there are also pictures of many of the items found in the shed on supervisors phones. I know I have some photos. I know I sent some photos to my supervisors during my employment there. Even sent emails to Past county manager and to HR. Even Risk Management.  I was even told by the director, that if I provided assistant Director with photos of these items, he would shut down the Salvage sheds. Director used his favorite phrase again. First time I have heard of this.I sent the photos to him. Assistant Director replied since photos were not taken that day, and they also were not taken on A county provided phone . Photos did not count. I respectfully reminded assistant Director I was provided a stipen for use of my phone for Orange County business.  

    Just think if a County employee or even a resident or non resident seriously injured or even overdosed with a needle stick or fentanyl exposure. No Narcan stored on site. I asked for it and training to use it. A very simple thing to provide for employee saftey. But that would be an admission that there is a problem. 

     Seen a few guns waived around down at the shed by people fighting over who saw some junk left in the shed first and who was going to get it. I believe Orange county sherrifs were called about that one. I know I called the Orange county sherrifs a few times. Even assaulted a  by residents/ non resident. One admitted to a simple assault charge and fined. He was also a Durham county resident. I was asked by the director and assistant Director of Orange county solid waste to not  pursue charges against the other assault charge. That one was even recorded by camera's at Eubanks facility. Assistant Director never sent that recorded incident to the county prosecutor. The man who assaulted me brought in a high paid lawyer in for a simple assault charge. The man who assaulted me lied his way through the impromptu trail that was not supposed to happen.  Of course I did not have or assistant prosecutor have the recorded incident that would have showed the assault. I was told that a county commissioner influenced  the outcome. Imagine that. 

    Again this would show that there is a problem with abuse to employees of Orange county solid waste.  The  verbal abuse by residents to the site workers and even to the supervisors is very colorful to say the least. If there were minutes taken at the so called First Friday meetings put on by the director . You would here me talk about the verbal abuse.  That's when I  heard that phrase.  This is the first-time I am hearing about this. As said by the director. And why are minutes not being kept on the record. Plausible deniability. I,m guessing.

    Plausible deniability is the ability of a person or leader to deny knowledge of or responsibility for unethical or illegal acts because there is no hard evidence proving they were involved. It happens when leaders deliberately stay out of the loop or give vague orders so they can safely say they didn't know what was happening

     Some may think I'm a disgruntled ex employee.  I assure you that is not the case. I stated several times as an employee of Orange county that I was also a tax payer and did not agree with what heard and what I was seeing. I also said it looks like the only way I can have an impact was to run for a County Commissioner seat. Guess what , I could not when employed by Orange County Solid Waste.  Not employed by them anymore.  If it walks like duck and talks  like a duck it must be a duck. 

      Stop the Fraud waste and abuse.You all have the authority to do that.  

     Ask yourself.  What can I do to stop the abuse.

                 Lou Capitanio Electloudistrict2.com Electlou...@gmail.com