POINTE A LA HACHE - Plaquemines Parish officials say their recycling contractor is doubling its fee when the parish is in a budget crunch, so recycling pickup will end after February.

Spokesman Michael Powell Jr. says in a news release that the parish was notified at the end of 2015 that BFI subsidiary Republic was boosting its processing fee from $20 to $40 per ton.

Solid Waste Department superintendent Scott Rousselle says the department averages 30 tons a month.

He says the 18 recycling receptacles across Plaquemines Parish will be available through February, and the department will stop collecting recyclables on March 1.