While most people's thoughts this time of year may focus on the possibility of a tax refund, the Centre County Solid Waste Authority has announced it will be mailing rebate checks of its own, totaling more than $86,000, to its local customers.

"People and haulers who have donated in the last year will receive a rebate," said Ted Onufrak, waste authority executive director.

Because of better-than-usual recycling markets in 2002, the authority realized there was going to be a surplus, Onufrak said.

"This is only the third time in six years that this has happened," Onufrak said.

"It only happens when the market is really good."

The authority board feels it is important to reward customers when the markets are favorable, Onufrak said.

The customers who delivered and paid a $5-per-ton fee for recyclable material to the authority in 2002 will be receiving a rebate of $10 for each ton delivered, he said.

There was no cut-off when calculating the rebate amounts, Onufrak said.

The National Guard, for instance, delivered 1.2 tons of recyclable material and will receive a rebate check of $12, he said.

"We didn't want to have a cut-off when it came to the rebates," Onufrak said. "We used the increased profit from one to compensate for the lack of others."

The authority's largest customer, Waste Management, will receive $28,000.

"I've only seen one rebate like this since I have been here," Mike Fuller, district manager of Waste Management, said.

"But it's not the first rebate we've received."

Because of a contract between Waste Management and the Centre County Council of Governments, the rebate will be signed over to the council's disposal, Fuller said.

"They are a very responsible group. I'm sure that they will use it to benefit the community," Fuller said.

The Council of Governments works as an agent to surrounding communities, said Chuck Huffman, the coordinator of the regional recycling program.

"As of now, we don't know what we are going to do with the money," Huffman said.

"The decision will be made by the Public Service Committee on May 12."

In the past, the money has gone toward collecting and disposing of hazardous household waste, Huffman said.