Recycling changes are potentially in store for county residents.

The Schuylkill County Commissioners voted recently to authorize the advertisement of a public notice to require waste haulers to provide a curbside recycling option.

The ordinance will amend the existing solid waste and recycling ordinance and establish that “all transporters who collect municipal waste from residential sources must provide to their customers curbside collection of recyclables included and bundled in the price of the municipal waste collection service with certain enumerated exceptions,” according to an agenda.

The topic was discussed at an Oct. 7 work session meeting.

Haulers were informed of the change and a meeting held, commissioners said.

“This is a big project. This is one that I would say that the county has been very, very successful over the years,” Commissioner Gary Hess said.

He said recycling is “very, very important. I just want to make sure we have a time frame, and the handoff is good,” Hess said.

“If approved, we are going to ask them to implement this in the first quarter of 2021,” County Administrator Gary Bender said.

He claimed the action would increase recycling in the county.

“Anytime you make a change, people are reluctant,” Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said.

He talked about the county bins in locations like Ringtown, which “are a mess. There is cardboard. There’s junk. There’s garbage, and we are losing somewhere between $45,000 and $50,000 a month.”

The market for recycling isn’t what it once was, Hetherington said.

“I think this is the right way to move,” he said about getting the county out of the recycling business.

First Assistant County Solicitor Glenn Roth said the county spends about $500,000 a year for recycling. With the change, the county can save money by requiring curbside recycling, plus recycling can increase.

He said local municipalities can offer drop-off sites, but if they choose not to, they must offer curbside recycling to residents.

Joe Scribbick, recycling coordinator, said the voting on the proposed ordinance is set for Oct. 21.

“We need by county policy to publicize it for seven days before they (commissioners) vote on it,” Scribbick said.