HURRICANE, W.Va. — A new recycling center will be coming to Hurricane.

Rob Vanater

Hurricane officials and the Putnam County Solid Waste Authority have partnered up to have a new center put on some property that the town had.

The new center would be located at 1000 Midland Trail, which is a little past Hurricane Fire and Rescue.

PCSWA Executive Director Rob Vanater said that it’s a convenient location and that the property is flat which is perfect for the recycling bins.

When the center is ready to be open, Vanater said that they will be accepting cardboard, mixed paper (mailers, magazines, paperback books), and cans.

He also said that the cities past with collecting cardboard, gives the center an advantage.

“And the city of Hurricane has already been doing cardboard recycling for many years now, so this is something, having that already engrained kind of helps with the location as well,” he said.

Vanater said that he currently is trying to get things worked out for them to be able to take number one PET plastics, which would be clear containers, water bottles, synthetic fibers, and straps and films.

However, he wants to be able to collect more items later.

“And then hopefully in the future be able to expand on it,” Vanater said.

The center will be fenced in with the different bins for the recyclables. And when the center is open, they’ll have certain days where Putnam County residents can come and drop off their items.

“It will be manned; someone will be there making sure the items are going into the right bins. Essentially there to help guide everyone to make sure that there putting things into the right place so we can make sure that the items actually get recycled and not end up in the landfill,” Vanater said.

He said that the only way a bin would have to be brought to the landfill is if contaminates touch any of the items.

So, he encourages residents to make sure that their recyclables are sorted out before bringing them to the center.

“To make sure that you’re separating your items properly and cleaning out your plastics, (because) contamination from foods and other products in the wrong bin is the number one reason things get sent to landfill,” he said.

And since they started getting the property ready for the center, Vanater says that they don’t have a date for when it should be open.

He said that he wants the project to move further along before setting a permanent opening date.

“When I get the gates and fence up and the bins on order, then I can set an opening date,” Vanater said.

With this recycling center, Vanater said that he hopes that more recycling centers can be opening in Putnam County.

For more information, call PCSWA at 681-235-3276 or email them at [email protected].