The future of Summit County’s now-closed center for recycling household hazardous waste remains unclear.“We’re open to any suggestions,” Yolanda Walker, executive director of the Summit-Akron Solid Waste Management Authority, said at a board meeting Tuesday. “It’s time to look at everything. It’s all on the table.”Gene Nixon, director of the Summit County Health District and a member of the authority’s governing board, said the center at state Route 8 and Graham Road in Stow is popular with the public and is providing a needed service.The facility closed July 27 to help the financially troubled agency save about $121,000. Its income has dropped in the past three years as people throw away less trash. It is funded by a fee on waste produced in Summit County.In past years, the center was open through September.Nixon questioned whether it might make sense financially to recycle such household hazardous waste at regional weekend collections around Summit County instead of trying to reopen the center in 2012.The authority had two collections in early 2011: one in Macedonia for residents of northern Summit County and one at the old Carousel Dinner Theater for residents of southern Summit County. Those collections together drew nearly 1,200 vehicles.The center also needs a new forklift and a warning device installed on the oil tank to make sure there are no overflows, Walker said.She has suggested that the authority look at curtailing hours at the center now open on Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday evenings, not accepting latex paints that account for more than 40 percent of materials to be processed or perhaps charging Summit County residents a fee for using the center.Latex paint can be air-dried and solidified and thrown out with regular trash.In 2011, the authority collected 671,096 pounds of household hazardous waste at the Stow center from May 3 through July 27 and the two regional collections. That included 290,798 pounds of latex paints.In 2010, the authority collected 842,397 pounds of household wastes including 386,786 pounds of latex paints from May through September.Per-day usage of the center increased this year.In 2011, the center attracted 6,260 vehicles, or 241 vehicles per day. The center was used by 8,087 vehicles last year, or 184 vehicles per day.The authority spent $308,500 in 2011 to operate the Stow center. The price tag in 2010 was $430,439.The center will reopen from 9 to 11 a.m. Aug. 27 and Sept. 24 for collecting scrap tires. The fee is $1 per tire. There is a limit of 10 tires per vehicle. Call 330-374-0383 or go to www.saswma.org for more information.The authority must operate the center from April to October or resell the site to the Carter Lumber Co. for $1, Walker said.Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.