STEUBENVILLE - Recycling keeps growing in Jefferson County.

There were 36.46 tons of commingled materials collected in recycling containers throughout Jefferson County in 2003. The amount jumped to 221 tons in 2004, Julio said.

Paper and cardboard also have increased over the past year. Julio said 245 more tons of cardboard and paper were recycled in 2004 than the previous year.

Julio said the Belmont-Jefferson Solid Waste District has placed more recycling containers in the district to make it more convenient for residents to use.

Paper recycling has shown the most steady increase, mainly due to the paper recycling programs in county schools, and business and industry also has shown a big increase in paper and cardboard recycling, with 22,000 tons alone in 2004, Julio said.

The paper recycling program in the schools benefits the schools and the county recycling program. Most of the money generated by the paper recycling is returned back to the schools to be used however school officials see fit, Julio said.

She said the increase in paper recycling by businesses and industries also results in a savings in landfill costs to the companies.

Paper and paper products make up 32 percent of the waste stream, she said.

Julio said she hopes recycling continues to increase to the point where it would be a self-sufficient program in the solid waste district.

"It is difficult to achieve being self-sufficient, but the participation has been tremendous," she said.

Other larger municipalities have curbside recycling programs but Julio said there isn't enough of a population here to support such a program.

"We'll have to stick with drop-off containers," Julio said.

There are 20 drop-off containers in the solid waste district, as seven containers were added last year. The number of areas getting a drop-off container and the hours available also increase, she said.

The commingled materials are collected and taken to Portage County, and the paper is taken to Valley Converting in Toronto.