By ANNA CAHOON ’27
Updated 11:50 a.m. EDT, 21 Nov 2025
On Thursday, Oct. 6, the contents of a Casella Waste dumpster truck caught on fire near 3 Bums Pizza shortly after emptying garbage and recycling bins on campus and the upper section of the Houghton community. The driver saw flames spitting out the back of his vehicle and followed company protocol to safely pull over and dump the truck-load out at the beginning of Houghton University’s (HU) townhouse entrance. Trash was heaped about ten feet high while the driver, Terry Bendler, called for aid. In terms of resolving the danger, Bendler emptied his entire fire extinguisher while waiting for professionals, to no avail, as it caught fire a second time before it was put to rest by the volunteer firefighters. Houghton’s Volunteer Fire Department and a State Trooper responded to the scene, resolving the not-so-eco-friendly incident.
Houghton Volunteer Chief Paul Cronk could not determine an exact fire trigger, but speculated the fire was caused by “an electronic piece of equipment.” He later confirmed his initial investigation, “the cause was a direct result of a discarded piece of rechargeable electronic equipment that contained rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries.”
One careless toss into a garbage bin might not bring the ozone layer to an end, but it poses a serious concern for the driver’s safety and the surrounding area.
Brian Webb, the previous Director of Sustainability for HU, served for 16 years and decreased the carbon footprint of the campus by 46 percent. HU no longer has this role and cannot accurately report what the carbon footprint is now. The improper recycling of this electronic device not only started a fire, but it could have increased carbon emissions through the release of carbon dioxide in burned materials as well. Webb reflected on how difficult it is to “get students to recycle correctly, even though it’s really easy to do.” When he held the director position at HU, one of his major contributions was placing recycling bins at all accessible locations on campus to encourage the ease of choice, along with signage to describe what can be thrown in each receptacle. Based on his own study of sustainability efforts over the years, he recommends that the campus incorporate “intentional electronic waste (e-waste) collection processes for students.” Webb commented that “if that process isn’t accessible to [students], then it’s not going to be taken advantage of.”
Vice President for Student Life Bill Burrichter reacted to this news with a hope for the future establishment of a student-run club to focus on reengaging with creation care. In his own life, he practices safe recycling even when it comes to e-waste. Burrichter shared how it comes down to a “willingness to be inconvenienced” and wait for when the opportunity is given to safely dispose of products at a local station. In recent years, he has gone to the Allegany County Waste Station to use their e-waste designated bins. Burrichter stated, “We have to balance the value that we hold with our own comfort,” he continued, “as Christians, we’re called to care for the things that God has given to us to steward … it is our responsibility.” For students with a passion for this issue, he wished that this incident would spur a creation-care club: “I hope that would be the case. So much of what happens on the university campus, we really want to be student-led, student-directed, student-initiative, because when the students own it, it has sustainability.”
The only place to dispose of e-waste locally is the Allegany County Collection Events at the Belmont Recycling Center located at 6006 Co Rd 48, Belmont, NY 14813. The station hosts four annual events for disposing of e-waste, with the last listed opportunity scheduled for Jan. 17, 2026. The acceptable items are televisions, VCR players, DVD players, scanners, printers, computer wires & cords, computers, monitors, game consoles and controllers, keyboards and mice, copy machines, and fax machines.
The fire on campus property may have caused no physical harm, but it draws attention to Houghton’s trash and recycling practices. As Burrichter recommended: take the time to be inconvenienced, and protect the beauty of the earth that we are blessed to live on. ★
