AUTRYVILLE — Town leaders still don’t know how they plan to acclimate the area to the state’s new recycling law, but rather than throwing their hands up, the mayor and Autryville commissioners sought the advice of Waste Industries.

Carl Massey, a representative with the company,came to last week’s meeting to answer any questions the town board had.

Right off the bat, commissioner Mickey Spell asked about the separation of trash. At last month’s meeting, Spell and the other commissioners had expressed concern over how the town plans to keep plastics, cans, etc. separated.

Massey advised Spell that the only thing that residents needed to do was separate the recyclable items from the regular trash.

“Back in the 1990’s,” Massey explained, “everything had to be separated, but now those items can be put in one container,” meaning, he emphasized, there would be no need to put recycling cans in one bag and plastic bottles in another.

As the representative finished, town clerk Diane Autry handed out a sheet to guests and the board members telling which items are recyclable and which would be considered “regular trash.” According to the handout, newspapers, junk mail, plastic bottles, milk jugs, glass jars, aluminum cans and pie trays can be placed together in recycling. The material that would need to be in regular trash would include plastic bags, Styrofoam packing materials, sheet glass, bulk plastics with toys, ceramics, dishes, electronics and oil containers.

Massey also advised the board to use clear bags for recyclable items and to break the bag, so the items can be separated more easily at the recycling plant, noting how some recycling companies have a laser that takes apart the recycling items from the bag or an assembly line of people taking the recycling apart.

As he finished, Spell asked where Waste Industries takes their recyclables. At last month’s meeting, he had questioned where the company sends recyclable items that are picked up.

“We do not take it to the landfill; it goes to a recycling plant in Fayetteville,” said Massey.

Spell, looking over at his fellow board members, said, “Well, we only have one choice then. Put the recycling in one bag and non-recycling in another.”

In addition, the board also showed concern with the type of container to be used for regular trash and recyclables.

Massey advised that the town should consider using a can that has some type of lid on it.

“We have used open containers in the past, but the recyclables would end up being blown away,” said Massey.

As he finished, commissioner Ronald Long, who had remained silent on the topic, asked for clarification for Waste Industries advice.

“So what your saying is that we put the recycling in a bag and just dump it in the trash,” asked Long.

Massey shook his head in agreement.

While the board seemed to be satisfied with dividing the trash and non-trash into two different bags, members still felt that they needed more information.

Spell then asked Massey if Waste Industries offers a program in which they would pick up recycling items themselves. Currently, the town has a general maintenance person, Plato Faircloth, to pick up the trash and recycling.

“We do have curbside collection,” said Massey. He also noted that Salemburg currently has a contract with Waste Industries to have its trash and recycling picked up.

“I would like us to look at that,” said Spell, who then advised Massey to see if he could come back to the board with some packages that would put recycling into the responsibility of Waste Industries. Massey said that he could have a package together this week.

Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by e-mail at silife@myclintonnc.com.