The Inter-Mountain photo by Taylor McKinnie The yard waste recyling bin behind the Elkins City Street Department Garage on 1 Baxter Street, with signs that specify what residents can and cannot put in the bin.

ELKINS — The City of Elkins is asking residents to follow glass and yard waste recycling rules, or risk losing recycling all together.

During the Mayor’s Comments portion of the Elkins City Council’s April 21 meeting, Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco asked the citizens of Elkins to follow the rules the City has put in place in regards to glass and yard waste recycling. As Marco explained, those who are not following the rules are jeopardizing the deal the City of Elkins has with the facilities that take the glass and yard waste.

“I’m going to ask the public to please follow the rules, because I went over last week and there was cardboard thrown in with the glass,” Marco said. “People that are not following the rules are going to ruin it for everybody else.”

Residents are able to drop off glass and yard waste for recycling in separate bins behind the Elkins City Street Department garage at 1 Baxter Street. The yard waste disposal is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. According to a sign near the yard waste disposal bin, the only items allowed for recycling are grass, tree and shrub trimmings, vegetative landscaping materials, leaves and hay, plant debris, and branches and brush “up to 2 inches in diameter and 8 feet in length.” The glass disposal bin states “Glass Only,” while another nearby sign states “No Dumping. Violators will be prosecuted.”

According to the City of Elkins website, the City’s Operations Department makes arrangements to transport the yard waste to a City of Clarksburg composting facility. Meanwhile, glass is collected periodically, “at intervals determined by the City’s current vendor.”

“They’re going to stop taking it if people keep throwing their trash in there,” Marco said. “So I’m just going to ask you please follow the rules. We have them out there for a reason. You are not above them. So, if you’re the person throwing other stuff in there when you shouldn’t be, shame on you is all I’m going to say because you may ruin something for everybody and then we have no recycling at all.”

Elkins City Operations Manager Michael Kesecker agreed with the Marco’s comments, adding that the City of Elkins has received multiple warnings regarding garbage in the recycling. Kesecker said the City has even been told, “This is your last chance.”

“I hope we don’t truly get that last chance, because we don’t have time for guys to jump in those (bins) and sift through them,” Kesecker said. “That shouldn’t be their job to sift through those.”

Kesecker stated that, if the City is no longer allowed to drop off glass and yard waste to the composting facility and the vendor, the City will not longer be able to offer a recycling service for the public.

Fifth Ward council member Cody Thompson asked if it was possible to have surveillance put in place since the bins were behind the Street Department garage. Elkins City Police Chief Travis Bennett responded it was an “easy fix” to put a surveillance camera up by the bins. Bennett added that violators could face prosecution under City Code.

“There is a City Ordinance that is against the law to fail to obey an officially posted sign,” Bennett said. “For that offense, you can be taken directly to jail. For not following a sign.”

The ordinance Bennett referred to was passed by the City Council in 2005 and is listed as § 130.022 in the City Code. According to the City Code, a violation of § 130.022 “shall be declared a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine in an amount set forth by Council from time to time and/or incarceration for a period of up to one year.”

Kesecker commented that he would talk with Bennett on matter.

“It’s a service we don’t want to lose,” Kesecker said. “You know the old adage, one bad apple ruins it for everyone. We don’t want that to happen.”

According to the City of Elkins website, if residents need to recycle electronics, plastic, cardboard, paper, tires, batteries or other materials not accepted by the City of Elkins, they need to consult the Randolph County Solid Waste Authority (RCSWA).

The Elkins City Council will meet again on May 7 at 7 p.m. at the Phil Gainer Community Center.