Residents join Mayor Coleman, City Council President Ginther, Councilmembers Paley and Klein and Rumpke Recycling To Kick off New Citywide Residential Recycling Service
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
March 6, 2012
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John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798
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Residents Join Mayor Coleman, City Council President Ginther,
Councilmembers Paley and Klein and Rumpke Recycling To Kick off
New Citywide Residential Recycling Service
RecyColumbus Program To Be Implemented In Five Phases Over Nine Months
Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Council President Andrew J. Ginther, Councilmembers
Eileen Y. Paley and Zach M. Klein, neighborhood leaders and Rumpke Recycling Vice President Andrew Rumpke kicked off the city of Columbus’ new citywide residential recycling program, RecyColumbus, at the Rumpke Recycling Facility, 1191 Fields Avenue yesterday.
“It’s been a long wait, but I’m proud that residential recycling is finally here for our city, our neighborhoods and our environment,” said Mayor Coleman. “This program will make Columbus greener while saving millions of dollars in landfill fees.”
The recycling program will be implemented in five phases during nine months based on residents’ yard waste pickup days. More than 50,000 homes on the west, southwest and parts of the northwest sides will be the first to receive 64 gallon blue recycling carts between April 16 and May 19, with collection service to begin June 4.
“This program marks an important next step toward increasing our diversion rate and prolonging the life of our landfill,” said Council President Andrew J. Ginther. “RecyColumbus also sets a path forward for Columbus and all of Central Ohio to work together to increase our recycling efforts and to do so in the most effective and efficient way possible. I am proud to support Mayor Coleman, the Green Team, and Councilmember Paley as we look to further our partnership with Rumpke, and begin the next phase in our shared plan to improve our environment for future generations.”
RecyColumbus will serve more than 227,000 households by the time the program is fully implemented in February 2013. Columbus residents living in single-family homes or in single buildings with four units or less that are not part of apartment or condominium complexes are eligible for this new convenient and easy-to-use City service.
“This program is the result of years of public engagement that helped to craft a targeted approach to increasing the number of households that take part in a citywide recycling program,” said Councilmember Eileen Y. Paley, chair of the Public Service & Transportation Committee. “I look forward to this rollout and being implemented citywide.”
In addition to saving millions of dollars in landfill tipping fee costs over several years, recycling preserves the environment.
“I’m excited for this new service, and my neighbors are too,” said James Howard, president of the Glen Civic Association, which will be among the first neighborhoods to receive recycling carts. “Many residents in The Glen already recycle using the current subscription service or by taking items to drop boxes at a nearby Columbus Fire station. My family and I plan to participate and prevent recyclables from being buried in a landfill. This program will place our city alongside other great cities committed to being green.”
Recycling will be collected on a bi-weekly schedule with yard waste to be collected on the alternate weeks. Rumpke, which also picks up yard waste for the city, will collect residential recyclables.
“Rumpke is the largest residential recycler in the state of Ohio. We’re thrilled to work with the city to launch this major recycling program,” said Rumpke Recycling Vice President Andrew Rumpke. “We employ 260 people at this site – drivers, helpers, equipment operators, sales representatives, financial analysts, managers and supervisors. I’m also proud to announce that at least 60 jobs will be tied directly to the citywide recycling program for the city of Columbus.”
Until the new recycling service begins in each of the five areas of the implementation plan, residents should continue handling their yard waste, recyclables and trash in the same way they have always done. RecyColumbus will be holding a “first cart” contest that will be launched in the next few weeks. There will be one winner in each of the five phases. Each winner’s cart will be delivered by Mayor Coleman and include special items. Contest details will soon be on the program’s website, www.RecycleColumbus.org.
The RecyColumbus recycling program will be managed by the City’s Department of Public Service.
RecyColumbus Recycling Program Facts
•Residents asked for recycling, now Columbus is delivering. RecyColumbus, www.RecycleColumbus.org, is the City of Columbus’ new citywide residential recycling program. In surveys, residents said they consider residential recycling a basic neighborhood service.
•More than 227,000 Columbus households, including residents living in single-family homes or in single, stand-alone buildings with four units or fewer that are not part of apartment or condominium complexes, will receive the new recycling service at no additional cost.
•Each eligible household will receive a 64-gallon blue recycling cart at no additional cost.
•The RecyColumbus recycling program will be implemented in five phases over a nine-month period. From April 16, 2012 through January 12, 2013, blue recycling carts will be delivered to eligible homes.
•The delivery schedule for the 64-gallon blue recycling carts will be based on a resident’s current yard waste recycling day. See attached map and blue recycling cart delivery schedule.
•After residents receive the blue cart, they can prepare for recycling in three easy steps:
1.Write their address on the cart with a permanent marker
2.Fill it up with recyclables
3.Put it out for pick-up on the designated collection day
• Until their new residential recycling service begins, residents should continue handling their yard waste, recyclables and trash in the same way they have always done.
• On their designated recycling collection day, residents should place their filled 64-gallon blue recycling cart where their trash is collected, either at the curb or in the alley.
• Recycling will be collected bi-weekly, alternating weeks with yard waste collection.
• Benefits of recycling include:
Preserves the environment, making Columbus cleaner and greener
Saves millions of dollars in fees paid to dump at the landfill
Reduces the trash buried in the landfill
Creates and saves jobs
• RecyColumbus will include a public education effort, including informational presentations to community groups.
• Residents can view an informational video and learn more about recycling by visiting www.RecycleColumbus.org.
Click here to view the RecyColumbus Cart Delivery and Collection Day Map and the RecyColumbus Cart Delivery and Collection Schedule
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