Other Recycling Options
Not eligible for residential recycling service? Want to try recycling an item not accepted by traditional recycling programs? No problem! There are many ways to recycle in Columbus.
Waste and Reuse Convenience Centers
The City of Columbus Waste and Reuse Convenience Centers aid the public in the recovery of recyclables and other hard-to-recycle materials such as clothing, furniture, electronics, yard waste, used cooking oil and food waste. The drive-up, self-service centers provide a convenient and accessible location for central Ohio residents to recycle a wide range of materials, free of charge to residents.
These sites are only open to Columbus residents for materials generated at their residences and they are not available to any commercial businesses or landscape companies.
Drop Box Recycling
Over 200 public recycling drop boxes are available through a partnership between the city and the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO). Drop box sites are commonly located at fire stations, recreation centers, commercial locations and at most schools. Drop boxes will remain available even after the new RecyColumbus program begins. A listing of these drop box locations is available online. Some drop boxes may be relocated in coming years to better accommodate residents living in multi-family households not covered by the new city service.
Yard Waste Disposal
Yard waste disposal options are offered to residents in order to compost the discarded material into a rich soil for reuse. There are two main ways to dispose of yard waste material with the city:
- Collection service for eligible households: Yard waste is collected every other week with recycling collection. Find out more about how to use yard waste collection services on the Yard Waste Collection page.
- Additionally, the city's Com-Til Compost Facility will accept yard waste free of charge, year round.
Non-traditional Items
Many items can be donated for reuse with central Ohio organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Furniture Bank of Central Ohio, Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO), and more. Additionally, the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) maintains an online listing of trusted resources to recycle many items including CD's, cellphones, styrofoam and more.
Business Recycling
Businesses often times have a lot of waste paper and rather than throw it away, consider starting an office recycling program. Contract with a private hauler to collect recyclables as is done with trash services. The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio is available to assist and advise businesses. Contact them at biz@swaco.org for help and to learn about financial incentives available to businesses.