From Waste to Resources: America Recycles Day represents planning for future
Each November, central Ohio joins the rest of the nation in recognizing America Recycles Day, and this year, our community has much to celebrate.
We’re recycling more. The most recent data available shows Franklin County’s recycling rate stands at 51% – higher than the national average – meaning residents and businesses are recycling more than ever before. While we’re still working to achieve a 75% diversion goal by 2032, recycling more than we throw away is a milestone worth celebrating now.
We’re doubling down on food-waste diversion. Central Ohio sends nearly 1 million pounds of food every day to the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill. When food goes to waste, so do all of the resources that went into producing and distributing it, as does the opportunity we lose to help fight food insecurity and hunger in our community. Representing the largest portion of the waste stream, reducing food waste presents a significant opportunity for central Ohioans to increase our diversion rate and save more than food, and our priorities at SWACO reflect that.
Recently, our team had an opportunity to host The New York Times at SWACO and to speak about our region’s food-waste diversion efforts. From the efforts of the Central Ohio Food Waste Initiative to the work being performed in local communities to expand food-waste drop-off programs and the implementation of share tables and composting programs at local schools and restaurants, our work is making a difference locally and being recognized on a national stage, and we commend all our partners, who continue to push for more diversion opportunities.
The future is bright. As I’ve settled into my role as executive director at SWACO, I’m finding that the future indeed looks bright for sustainability in Greater Columbus. I’m looking forward to helping SWACO step up its efforts in the way we serve the residents, families and businesses who call our community home and who want to make a difference.
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To start, I’m renewing SWACO’s commitment to proactive outreach to the communities, schools and other partners in the solid-waste district to ensure they have the necessary tools to effectively manage their waste streams, reduce their reliance on the landfill and reach their stated sustainability goals.
Not only will SWACO continue to improve and enhance the programs and technical assistance we offer; we also will want to increase our visibility and engagements at their events and are reimagining our own Educational Resource Center in an effort to improve our partners’ experience when touring our facilities to see the landfill in action and learn about the economic and environmental value of diversion.
We’re also exploring how to improve the way in which hard-to-recycle materials like mattresses, batteries, household hazardous waste and textiles are handled in central Ohio. Recent visits to Montgomery County’s Environmental Learning Center, as well as conversations with the Columbus Downtown Development Corp., are providing unique perspectives and sparking creativity in the ways we might be able to tackle these materials previously not comprehensively addressed in our community.
We won’t be able to move the needle to improve diversion alone, however. Please join me in celebrating America Recycles Day throughout the month of November by renewing your own commitment to recycling more and recycling right.
Go to recycleright.org to learn more.
Joe Lombardi is the executive director of the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio.
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: From Waste to Resources: America Recycles Day represents planning for future
