Judge Rules Parkersburg Recycling Contract Violates State Law, City Considers Options
A judge in Wood County, West Virginia, has determined that Parkersburg's recycling contract with Rumpke Recycling does not comply with state law. The ruling, issued by Circuit Judge J.D. Beane, sided with attorney Walt Auvil, who argued that the city must provide recycling services to all residents, not just those who opt in and pay an additional fee. The judge found that the city's ordinance failed to cover non-residential customers and used voluntary language where mandatory participation is required by state law. Parkersburg City Attorney C. Blaine Myers stated that the city is considering amending the ordinance to address these issues. The city is also contemplating spreading the cost of recycling across all residential customers, similar to Huntington's model, instead of the current subscription-based system. 
