The Harrison County recycling ordinance was enacted more than eight years ago and is currently being reviewed for needed changes that will be made in the near future. We know that many residents and businesses want to recycle and they are doing their part to reduce the waste stream, but we have areas with little or no commitment to get involved in recycling.

For our commercial/industrial businesses, we want to reintroduce the requirement for recycling in Harrison County. There are items like fluorescent bulbs that are to be recycled and banned from the landfill, per The Universal Waste Rules. You have items required to be recycled by our own county ordinance, and we need your participation and cooperation to meet the goals of the West Virginia Recycling Act of 1991.

Recycling collection containers, and the expense of paying for additional containers, is viewed as a negative for many small businesses. We are exploring ideas such as a recycling cooperative, whereby a group of businesses could share a centralized recyclable material container, and then the cost of the container and pickup service would be shared as well.

We will be announcing a public hearing in mid-May for input on the good, bad and ugly facts of recycling. Visit us at www.hcwv.solidwaste.com or e-mail us at www.hcswa@iolinc.net. Call (304) 624-8715 -- 24 hours a day -- and leave a message or drop us a line at 301 W. Main St., Suite 505, Clarksburg, WV 26301.

Recycling is required!

Paul E. Hamrick

Director

Harrison County

Solid Waste Authority

Shares program provides food for the needy

Have you heard about "Shares"? Shares is where you paid $15 and you do two hours of volunteer work, and you get $30-35 worth of food. It is not a government program.

If you eat, you qualify! Why not help your community -- and yourself? You'll want to sign up for Shares. There are certain days to sign up ... certain days to pick up the food.

I like Shares. It has helped me out a lot. You get about 15 items. Sometimes they have "specials," too. They accept food stamps or cash.

If you are interested in Shares, call CRISS-CROSS Inc. for more information. Shares has gotten better. If you are on a tight budget, maybe Shares is for you!

I was on Shares for a long time. I went off the program and got back on again. Now Shares tries to have a list of what they have, but sometimes this list changes at the last minute. If your grocery bill is high, maybe Shares is for you. It is for people who like to eat.

You might already be doing volunteer work. But I think Shares is good.

Ruth A. Ledsome

Fairmont