After taking various steps to preserve it, Franklin Township has decided to close its recycling center.

On a unanimous measure, the township’s board of supervisors on Tuesday agreed to discontinue the center.

Supervisor Robin Cressley said that while closing the recycling center wasn’t an easy decision, leaving it open wouldn’t be fiscally responsible.

“We all hate to lose it,” Cressley said.

Board Chairman Jason Frey said items such as couches and foosball tables have been placed in the bins at times.

“I think it’s people coming from outside the township,” Frey said.

For months, supervisors said that the recycling must have the proper symbols, and stressed that recycling was for township residents only.

In February, supervisors said that the recycling bins were still being contaminated with plastic bags and some garbage.

Supervisors in June reminded township residents to not place any kind of plastic bags in the recycling dumpsters.

It was noted that trash of any kind should not be placed in the recycling bins, as the township was charged an extra $2,000 in May due to the bins being contaminated.

Frey said at that time the recycling bins were to be used by township residents only after people have been coming down from Towamensing, Mahoning and Penn Forest townships to drop their recyclables off.

He said residents were to drop their nonrecyclables in a garbage dumpster behind the township garage, and that when they emptied the bags, tear open the bag and reuse it again to haul their recyclables the next time.

Supervisors said at that time they would crack down on those who improperly discard their recyclables because they didn’t want to lose their recycling.