Hopkinton and Webster will pull out of a regional trash cooperative if plans for a single-stream recycling center in Penacook move forward, according to a joint letter sent by the towns yesterday morning.

The letter, unanimously approved by both boards of selectmen Monday night, is the first step in a lengthy process to get out of the co-op. In it, the boards demand that co-op officials immediately stop spending money on plans for the recycling facility.

The towns said building a new facility isn't necessary right now, and even if it was, the co-op should provide them with a complete business plan for the facility and allow them to decide whether to participate.

"Because the co-op has decided to go with single stream, Hopkinton and Webster don't feel that it is cost effective at this point to be part of that," said Hopkinton Town Administrator Neal Cass in an interview.

A co-op official said it will take time to formally respond to the letter but added that plans for single-stream recycling will move forward with or without Hopkinton and Webster.

"We'd love to have them involved, but it is their decision at this point," said Jim Presher, director of the Concord Regional Solid Waste/Resource Recovery Cooperative.

The co-op is responsible for incinerating trash from 27 towns and cities across the region at a waste-to-energy facility in Penacook.

Designs have already been drawn up for the proposed $11 million recycling facility, Presher said.

It will be paid for out of a reserve account with $13 million set aside for a landfill expansion in Penacook that never got off the ground.

Construction will begin once the co-op has commitments from enough communities to assure 25,000 tons of recyclables per year.

Right now, Presher said, the 27 member communities represent about 15,000 tons. He has commitments from Hooksett, Milford, Goffstown and other communities for an additional 8,000 tons per year. That leaves 2,000 tons per year still up in the air, Presher said.

Hopkinton and Webster haul out about 750 tons of recycling every year, according to Steve Clough, assistant director of public works for waste in Hopkinton.

The two towns currently share a transfer station in Hopkinton. They also share operating expenses and tipping fees through a formula based on population, Cass said.

"We're convinced there are other options available and that it really won't affect people coming to the transfer station, they won't even really know there is a difference," Cass said.

Clough said the towns would look into contracting with another vendor to remove trash from the transfer station if selectmen voted to get out of the co-op. None of the transfer station's policies would change, Clough said.

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