COMMUNITIES

Special Recycling Collections

CASE STUDY: Summit/Akron Solid Waste Management Authority

From 1996 to 2002, the Summit/Akron Solid Waste Management Authority has distributed over $800,000 in waste reduction and recycling grants. Developing markets for recycled products has been an important part of the resource recovery, waste minimization and recycling programs for their 500,000 residents.

Successful scrap tire collections have resulted in millions of old tires in Summit/Akron being reclaimed and recycled into rubberized tracks.

Other recent special collection initiatives have been the creation of a newspaper recycling cooperative and the establishment of a Household Hazardous Waste program that has serviced over 76,000 residents in eight years. The Authority now has a 37% overall recycling rate.

CASE STUDY: Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District serves almost 1.4 million people in 41 communities across northeast Ohio. In the last few years, these communities have improved their recycling rates through community curbside and drop-off programs. Recycling capabilities have also been expanded, with the opening of a nonprofit computer recycler in Cleveland and the introduction of paper recycling bins in the parking lots of schools, churches, parks and recreation centers across the county. Today, the solid waste district has an overall recycling rate of 43.4%.

One of the County’s most impressive achievements has been in the area of tire recycling. A total of 107,323 tires that had been illegally dumped down ravines, on vacant lots, in back alleys and along city streets, were cleaned up and recycled as part of the Scrap Tire Sweep Campaign.

County-wide recycling collections for other "special wastes" not usually handled by community collection programs also resulted in:

• 228 tons of hazardous waste collected;
• 225 tons of computers recycled;
• 17,668 bags of litter collected;
• 1,710 pounds of mercury collected;
• 382 tons of phone books recycled; and
• 6,754 tons of newspaper recycled.

Education services play a major role in recycling programs in the county, with initiatives including a District Recycling Hotline and website; recycling brochures and educational materials delivered to the public; school recycling contests; and seminars for local waste management officials.

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