West Penn Township continues to look into alternatives for public recycling bins in the township.

Board of supervisors Chairman Tony Prudenti noted at Tuesday’s meeting that the township plans to discontinue its recycling program as of the end of this year.

Prudenti said that the township has reached out to other individuals who do recycling and has a fairly local garbage company that is willing to put recycling bins at the West Penn Township Fire Company at no cost to the township.

He said the township is waiting for the fire company to get back with a price for insurance, along with costs to pave and fence an area.

In turn, Prudenti said the township would do a one-time donation to take care of that, as long as the fire company is willing to have it on their property and maintain it from that time forward.

He cited liability issues as the primary reason why the township decided to discontinue its recycling program located behind the township police station.

Further, Prudenti said there was a time when grants were more readily available to assist with recycling.

“The money is drying up a little bit,” Prudenti said. “We can’t control who uses it because it’s a county program.”

Further, Prudenti said there are only 17 municipalities in Schuylkill County that have recycling bins.

He said that in August it had come to the township’s attention that not only residents in the township were using the program, as people from other areas were using it as well.

The township’s recycling lease was signed in 2012, according to township officials.

Last month, Joe Scribbick, Schuylkill County Solid Waste & Recycling Coordinator, confirmed that the township agreed to terminate its lease agreement with the county.

However, Scribbick said at that time the county will continue its recycling program in 2021.