WARSAW — The board of the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District discussed ideas to help bolster proper recycling of freon-based appliances, as well as the proper disposal of the harmful gas at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, Nov. 13.

Tom Ganser, director for the Kosciusko County Recycling Depot, told the board a voucher program could be a way to get more people to properly dispose of items such as refrigerators that require freon to work properly. The law requires that the gas is properly removed before a recycler can accept the appliance.

“Even Lewis (Salvage) won’t take them if they’re cut because the state requires that it has to be certified that it’s been removed properly,” said Ganser.

According to Ganser, a proposed voucher program would consist of county residents turning in the document to outlets that can properly remove the gas. He said the cost of this is around $35 and said Collier’s and Smith Appliance are the two main participants in freon removal. Ganser also suggested a voucher for people wanting to recycle tires.

“One of the things I’d like to do is have the individual people come in here and get the vouchers before they go to either one of the tire stores or Collier’s or Smith Appliance to turn those in,” he said. ‘Freon-based appliances, we’re looking at anywhere from 50 to 200 appliances are turned in between those two companies on a monthly basis.”

With a possible cost or reimbursement being between $2 and $2.50 for tire recycling, board members questioned the effectiveness of a voucher program for tires.

The board also discussed several strategies for improving the recycling centers around the county. County Auditor Michelle Puckett was named controller for the district. The move was approved by county government officials.