AUTRYVILLE — As the town board continues to weigh the best course of action in regards to the new recycling law, residents, in the meantime, are wondering what to do with all of their plastic bottles.

During the last couple of town meetings, board members have weighed whether to allow their maintenance official, Plato Faircloth, to take care of the recycling or to seek a contract with Waste Industries, asking them to pick up the recycling.

In addition, the board has also weighed the number of times the items should be picked up. Currently, the board has made no decision on its plans, but the law requiring the recycling went into effect on Oct. 1.

James Starling, who owns W.A. Hardware in town, has already begun recycling his plastic bottles, but he has elected to take his trash to a site in Stedman rather than wait out the town’s plans.

“They have a special bin where you can place newspapers, plastic bottles, etc,” said Starling of the recycling site.

In fact, he said, he already has a couple of bags waiting at his home that need to be dropped off.

His wife, Shelvie Starling, is in favor of the town going forward with a recycling plan, whether it be with Waste Industries or a local pickup, and she would not have a problem if she had to pay a little more.

“We still have to (recycle), even if will cost more,” said Starling.

Herbie Faircloth, who lives just outside of the town limits, may know what Autryville residents may be feeling, since he has to take his recycling to a convenient site.

“It is a challenge to keep up, but I am doing the best that I can,” said Faircloth, who separates his trash from recyclables before he takes it to the site.

He also thinks that if the town decides to make its residents recycle as the state law dictates, then there should be someone responsible for making sure it is picked up.

One person who agrees with Faircloth is mayor Pat Williams. She has said on more than one occasion that “if residents are paying taxes, they should not have to take their trash to a site.”

Matt Spell, a representative with Waste Industries, like Faircloth, takes his trash to a convenient site.

“I put my recycling in a bin on Pumpkin Town Road,” Spell said.

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