The Kanawha County Solid Waste Authority is, once again, struggling to find a way to become profitable.
James Young, the executive director of the Solid Waste Authority, had been hoping to get a low interest loan from the Solid Waste Authority Board to purchase a building that would provide space to process recyclables, until he found out that the loan required a feasibility study from an accountant.
The study would cost money that the Solid Waste Authority - which had been flirting with bankruptcy until it got $25,000 from the Kanawha County Commission in February - doesn't have.
"We thought this loan program was going to lead to something," Young said. "But this has thrown a wrench in it."
In order to move forward in the effort to stop losing money, the Solid Waste Authority has a couple of options: It can lease a building and sell the current Slack Street location to have money to pay a deposit, it could take out a loan from a bank at a high interest rate or it can try to work with the drop site as is.
The consensus among the majority of the Solid Waste Authority Board members who were at the meeting Tuesday was to look into selling the Slack Street property so the authority could lease a new building.
Having a building would allow the Solid Waste Authority to start making a profit faster. The authority would be able to store equipment inside and work toward getting the two largest cities in Kanawha, Charleston and South Charleston, to keep their recyclables in the county rather than ship them to Beckley.
The board also suggested that Young look into getting a three-phase electrical system installed at Slack Street.
The electrical system would allow the authority to operate a recycling baler. With that machine, the authority would be able to process plastics and mixed papers in-house, instead of having to pay to have them processed at West Virginia Cashin Recyclables in Nitro.
But for the baler to work, the authority would have to purchase a small structure, similar to a carport, to keep the machine dry.
If the authority is able to lease the building it was hoping to purchase, it would be able to skip the Slack Street expenses, as the building would already have three-phase power and a roof.
"We're not going to be a fully operational recycling center by setting up little by little," said David Armstrong, a member of the board, emphasizing the need to start turning a profit.
The Slack Street site sees around 146 cars a day, with 61 percent of the people coming in from outside city limits to drop off recyclables. The board said that indicates a need for a facility in Kanawha County.
"We've got to figure out what to do," Armstrong said.
It's not all bad news at Slack Street. The roll-off truck that the authority purchased months ago is currently going through inspection and will be on-site soon.
While the authority was able to save some money last month by receiving 20 free pick-ups from Waste Management, the roll-off truck will allow it to cut out Waste Management entirely, saving $163.50 per load.
The board plans to "baby" the new truck. Members are looking into places where the truck can be washed, putting in new seat covers and keeping the battery safe from thieves.
Solid Waste Authorities across the state will be relieved of some financial pressure if Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signs HB 4540, a bill that would allow landfills to accept recycled electronics. Right now, Kanawha County spends about $15,000 recycling large electronics like televisions.
"I think it started off with great intentions," Young said. "But it's not cost effective."
Electronics were previously recycled because some of the materials in them can be hazardous to the environment.
The board also chose Ron Williams, a tennis coach at the YMCA, to be the Recycling Champion of Kanawha County for 2015.
Williams is from Perth, Australia, and has been said to clean up trash on the side of the street in order to salvage recyclable materials.
Williams will get a plaque for his dedication to recycling.
Reach Daniel Desrochers at dan.desrochers@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4886 or follow @drdesrochers on Twitter.