BOTKINS — Residents of Botkins will begin a new recycling program Monday.

They’ll participate in a program already in place in Anna, Fort Loramie, Jackson Center, Kettlersville and Russia as a result of a garbage and recycling collection contract with Republic Waste Services that covers all six villages and went into effect Wednesday.

The contract was negotiated by the North Central Ohio Solid Waste District on behalf of the villages.

Until now, Botkins residents had an optional recycling program that required them to purchase bags in which to dispose of recyclable trash. The new program is not optional. Botkins Boy Scouts recently delivered two recycling bins to every residence in the village. Beginning Monday, each household will be charged $3 per month for the recycling service.

“Opting out is not an option,” said Botkins Village Administrator Randy Purdy. The fees will be attached to water bills and invoiced quarterly.

“Pricing is the same in every village (on the contract),” said Terry Thompson, municipal services manager of Republic Waste Services.

The bins are different colors and people will have to separate their recyclables for each bin.

The light green bin is for newspapers, magazines, advertisements, junk mail, copy paper, paperboard and cardboard. The bin is marked “Paper only.” All papers should be placed loose in the bin or put into brown paper bags. They should not be tied into bundles. Cardboard and paperboard boxes, such as those in which cereal, crackers, cake mixes and rice are packaged, must be flattened and cut down into pieces smaller than 2 feet by 3 feet. On rainy or windy days, paper and cardboard should be put into plastic grocery bags and tied closed. Wet papers and boxes will not be accepted. Neither will boxes with food residue, such as greasy pizza boxes. Those should be discarded with the garbage.

The dark green bin is for plastic beverage, shampoo and household cleaner bottles and milk and laundry jugs marked with nos. 1 or 2, glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans and steel food cans. All items should be rinsed out before discarding. Scrap aluminum, scrap steel and other types of glass will not be accepted. Also unacceptable are automotive product containers, bowls, buckets, tubs, bags, flower pots, microwave or fast food trays, Styrofoam, toys, mirrors, ceramics, light bulbs, window glass, drinking glasses, dishes, china, paint cans, pots, pans, hangers, medical needles, diapers, batteries or appliances.

Aluminum food and beverage containers, pet food cans, soup cans and coffee cans are recyclable.

Botkins residents have received brochures with all of the above information.

“If someone didn’t receive a bin or a brochure, he can get one at the village office,” Purdy said.

He noted that an ordinance passed in Botkins in 2013 is still in effect. It states that the bins and garbage cans can’t be put on the street earlier than noon of the day before collection and must be taken in from the curb by 8 p.m. on collection day

“It keeps the village looking nice and keeps the bins from blowing away,” Purdy said.

According to Thompson, the only thing that the new contract changes in regard to garbage collection is the cost to the residents.

Republic will provide a 96-gallon cart for garbage for a fee of $12.70 per month, which Republic directly bills to the resident.

“The fee used to be $14 or more,” he said.

Occupants who generate less garbage can purchase Republic Service trash bags in rolls of 10. The price of the bags includes the pick-up service and varies from village to village.

From March 6 through April 6, Botkins residents can trade in their leftover recycling bags for garbage bags at a rate of two recycling bags for one garbage bag. They should take the bags to the vendor where the bags were purchased to make the trade.

Recyclables will be collected by Republic Waste Management employees at the same time they collect garbage in each village.