KAILUA-KONA >> A Big Island recycling nonprofit whose leadership has spoken out against the Hawaii County mayor’s waste-incineration plans has lost a long-held recycling education contract. 

Mayor Billy Kenoi says canceling the contract with Recycle Hawaii wasn’t politically motivated. Kenoi says the county is changing how it promotes recycling.

West Hawaii Today reports Recycle Hawaii has held the $100,000 yearly contract for more than a decade. 

The organization’s executive director Paul Buklarewicz says the last contract expired in June and a new contract had been negotiated with the Department of Environmental Management.

Buklarewicz says the organization had been continuing recycling education programs using other funds until it was informed in a letter last week that the contract would not be renewed.

Three finalists are in the running for the incinerator project.