Recycling in Elkins has recently become more difficult following the Randolph County Solid Waste Authority's decision to remove the bins from the downtown area and the campus of Davis & Elkins College. RCSWA Chairman Tim Hornick said finances brought about the change.

"We have removed the trailers due to the lack of funding," Hornick said. "The market (recycling market) is down and the Solid Waste Authority is behind on money."

Hornick said the truck driver who hauled the trailers was also laid off.

"We just cannot do it anymore," Hornick said. "We have asked for help from the county and the city, but it did not help."

Hornick asked the Randolph County Commission for $50,000 to keep the entity afloat. According to RCSWA meeting records, the authority has been more than six months behind on its rent to Tygart Valley Sanitation, while the business continues to pay the bills. Rent isn't the only cost associated with the RCSWA that it hasn't been able to pay. The organization has also fallen behind on its salary to treasurer Vonda Gumm and fuel costs for forklifts.

According to Hornick, the Solid Waste Authority is holding many recyclables and cannot sell them because of the market. He said many mills that take cardboard have closed or have cut back on their production. The RCSWA is currently holding two truck loads of cardboard and is hoping for an upswing in prices.

"It does make it hard to recycle," Hornick said. "This is something the people want and I tried to explain that to the city and county. The solid waste authority never received money from the county until this year. It was self sufficient for years, but the market has just fallen out."

Hornick said he is currently working with an area businessman to hopefully have the trailers located along the Beverly Five-lane. He said people can still bring their recyclables to the RCSWA in Dailey from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The RCSWA is no longer taking glass.

Hornick said the RCSWA is also working on grants for equipment to help bundle paper. He said Randolph County Recycling in Elkins will take paper products.