Centerville Launches Program to Reduce Recycling Contamination
The City of Centerville has launched a summer-long, grant-funded campaign to reduce recycling contamination supported by the Montgomery County Solid Waste District and Rumpke Recycling.
Centerville Launches Program to Reduce Recycling Contamination
The City of Centerville has launched a summer-long, grant-funded campaign to reduce recycling contamination supported by the Montgomery County Solid Waste District and Rumpke Recycling.
A random sampling of Centerville customers prior to the program launch found 23% of what was put into recycling containers could not be accepted for recycling. Instead, it was ‘contaminated,’ meaning those materials were incorrect or soiled. Contamination threatens the sustainability of the entire program by escalating costs and increasing risk of injury or damage to workers and equipment.
In 2019, Centerville was one of six cities selected across the State of Ohio to receive a Recycling Partnership grant to invest in an education and outreach pilot program to improve the quality of recyclables. In 2021, Centerville kicked off another round of the program.
In late-July, information cards (see attached) were mailed to all Centerville recycling customers reminding them of items that can be recycled at facilities owned by Rumpke, including the addition of jugs and tubs. Centerville encourages the recycling of plastic bags and films at local retailers and not in curbside recycling carts.
Curious where you can recycle plastic bags and films?
The City kicked off its cart observation initiative this week, mobilizing specially-trained staff and volunteers to conduct curbside cart observations. This initiative will impact homes in the Zengel, East and West Ridgeway, Yankee Trace and Shawhan neighborhoods (Tuesday and Thursday pick-ups). Residents who have contaminants in their recycling carts will receive information ‘Oops’ tags (see attached) on their carts with specific feedback designed to reduce contamination. Recycling carts with contamination will not be emptied. Residents will be given the opportunity to correct the mistake and return the cart to the curb the following week.
The City of Centerville looks forward to working together with our partners and our customers to help improve our recycling system and to help create an education and outreach model that can be replicated throughout the state.
