Alternative Mahoning Co. curbside recycling plan mulled

AUSTINTOWN — The future of curbside recycling in Mahoning County remains unclear.

The county’s recycling director told the county solid waste policy committee he is working on an alternative to an earlier proposal that would have radically changed the county’s curbside recycling program.

Lou Vega, however, declined to elaborate on the alternative at today's meeting.

“I am doing some homework right now that I will not be able to unveil probably until next month,” Vega told the committee.

Under the proposal the committee sent to the county commissioners and auditor late last year, the 18-gallon, open-topped recycling tubs would be replaced with 96-gallon wheeled carts with lids.

Under that plan, the county would have borrowed $3.1 million at zero interest for nine or 10 years to buy 47,575 carts to be lifted automatically and dumped into collection trucks. It would have paid off the loan from savings achieved by closing 13 of the county’s 29 recycling drop-off sites.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said, however, adopting that proposal would require an amendment and re-ratification of the county’s solid waste plan by the governing bodies of the county’s cities, villages and townships.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com