ASCENSION PARISH - Two national waste collection companies are making big changes to their recycling services in the unincorporated parts of the parish. Waste Pro will soon increase fees for collecting recyclables while Republic Services is discontinuing its collections.

The changes follow a national trend in communities after the collapse of the recycling market last year. China had been the biggest buyer of U.S. recyclables but scaled back significantly in 2018 because too much of the recycled waste it was purchasing was contaminated with trash.

Without a buyer, American communities and waste collection companies are charging more or discontinuing the services despite years of effort to get consumers to recycle. Much of the recycled waste is now being sent to landfills.

Ascension Parish will still accept some recycables for free at its Public Works office on Churchpoint Road in Gonzales. The city of Gonzales is under contract with Waste Pro to provide free trash and recycling collection to citizens until April 2021.

Advocates argue the main way to address the country's over abundance of trash is for citizens to reduce the amount they create.