The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency wants all 52 state solid waste districts to meet strict new guidelines - sooner rather than later.
The new rules specify 50 percent of state trash must be recycled; nearly 20% more than the 13 million tons recycled statewide in 2007 - the last year for which figures are available.
Cuyahoga County's Solid Waste District reports 47 percent of its trash, or 1.4 million tons, is recycled - among the highest rates in the state. But Executive Director Diane Bickett says finding the money even for that small jump to 50 percent could be tough. That's because the agency is funded based on tonnage, and with the down economy - people are buying less. Companies are making less. So they toss out less.
DIANE BICKETT:
"It's a bit of a Catch 22, because our mission is to promote waste reduction and recycling, and if we do a really good job of that like we are.... it ultimately impacts the amount of revenue that we bring in to support those programs."
The net result is that District revenue is down 30% from two years ago, though operational program costs will top nearly $2 million this year. It's worse for many agencies, which are eliminating programs or even dumping at cheaper landfills, instead of recycling centers.
Districts are required to file a 'plan of progress' with the state. Cuyahoga County will begin creating its plan this summer and must complete it by November 2011. Bickett says she'll be looking at all possible methods of raising funds - and recycling - to meet the new mandates.
