Toledo, Ohio, approves solid waste management plan

The Toledo (Ohio) City Council has approved the Lucas County Solid Waste Management District’s Solid Waste Management Plan. As well, Toledo City Council has authorized an agreement with the Lucas County Commissioners and the Lucas County Solid Waste Management District to commit all the city’s recyclables from its citywide curbside recycling program to the district.

Toledo Public Service Director Paul Rasmusson says the city’s current recyclable collection and processing system is cost prohibitive. Presently, recyclables collected by the city are shipped father away because of the lack of a local material recovery facility (MRF) or what the city calls a cost-effective transfer station.

“Within the Solid Waste Management Plan is a commitment by the district that they will build something that will assist us in recycling and processing locally,” says Rasmusson. “The second piece – the agreement with the commissioners and the Lucas County Solid Waste Management District –  is committing our recycling stream to the project.”

During a city council meeting held in late January 2018, members determined that while a MRF or transfer station would make sense, it would be economically feasible only if there was enough volume dedicated to it.

Directing all the tons collected through Toledo’s curbside program would allow Lucas County to build a MRF. To that end, council adopted Resolution 102-14 supporting the city committing all the recyclables collected through the curbside program if a MRF would be built.

The council also indicated the city would not have to pay for construction of the MRF and would negotiate rates and terms for processing the material.

Lucas County has indicated it plans on purchasing compaction or baling equipment for the recyclables prior to transportation. To purchase the equipment the county will apply for a grant from the Ohio EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to partially fund the purchase.

“Let’s get this thing built and reduce our trash costs,” stated Toledo Council President Matt Cherry, adding, “A local MRF will reduce cost by eliminating the need for transportation and allow the city to control how and where processed recyclables are marketed.”