The recycling bins for Schuylkill County will soon be a thing of the past.

The agenda for the Thursday commissioners meeting - which was changed from Wednesday because of the election Tuesday - shows a motion is requested for bids for the “dismantling, collection, and closing of the county’s drop-off recycling program at 16 locations in the county.”

Bids are due by 3 p.m. to the controller’s office Nov. 23.

Opening of the bids is slated for 9 a.m. Nov. 25 in the commissioners’ board room. The tentative award date is Dec. 3.

Commissioners approved the recycling changes that would require waste haulers to provide a curbside recycling option earlier this month.

The ordinance amended the existing solid waste and recycling ordinance and established 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.”

County Administrator Gary Bender said previously haulers are seeking to implement in the first quarter of 2021.

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said previously the recycling venture is costly.

First Assistant County Solicitor Glenn Roth said the county spends about $50,000 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 they if they choose not to, they must offer curbside recycling to residents.