AUTRYVILLE —The state’s new recycling law, mandating the recycle of plastic bottles, motor oils and wooden pallets, has left members of the town’s elected board shaking their heads, wondering what the best course of action would be to get residents to follow the mandate as easily as possible.

Tuesday night, the board was hoping the answer would be found, but, in reality, all members left with was more uncertainty.

At first, before the board began discussing the new law, Autryville mayor Patricia Williams said she felt that residents should not have to take their trash or recycling off to a convenient site or landfill, since they pay taxes.

A good course of action, she said, would be to allow the town’s general maintenance person, Plato Faircloth, to pick up the recycling once a month.

“He has agreed that he could do it without additional pay,” said Williams.

But, while the mayor clearly felt that this was a good option, board members raised questions about how Faircloth would be able to identify what is in the trash bag, since the town does not provide separate recycling containers.

Commissioner Mickey Spell expressed, “The problem is getting the people acclimated to separating their trash.”

He mentioned the prospect of purchasing separate containers that would cost $50 to $100 each.

“If you had two containers, the people would separate it themselves,” said Spell.

However with the town on a tight budget, no one motioned to consider his idea.

Commissioner Jean Cooper suggested that residents put their recyclable items in clear bags.

“If you tell them to buy clear bags, we will have to buy the bags,” interjected Commissioner Grover Autry.

Cooper then motioned for Faircloth to pick up the recycling once a month, if the items are separated and in clear or marked bags, but the motion failed for lack of a second.

After a short period of silence, Spell asked if anyone knew what the rest of the county was doing. He added that since the town will be penalized for people who are not recycling, they may need to be sent out to the people, asking them to help suggest what the town should do about the recycling issue.

He then suggested that they invite a representative from Waste Industries to come and explain what the company feels is a better way to get Autryville’s recycling rolling.

With this, Cooper rescinded her initial motion and offered another, that of tabling the issue until next month. It was approved unanimously.

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