By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Rachel Sizer’s eyes light up as she talks about sorting through a truckload of recyclables and finding very little trash. As Bowling Green’s sustainability coordinator, she is not the least bit self conscious about being visibly thrilled that her city is now able to recycle more.
“It’s so cool and I want everyone to know,” Sizer said.
Earlier this summer, Bowling Green switched its recycling contract from Republic to Rumpke. The new service allows city residents to recycle more items – and provides residents with information about where their recyclables go.
“That’s one of the most exciting parts,” Sizer said. “I love the transparency of Rumpke.”
Unlike the previous service, the new contractor gives the city data on exactly what items they accept, where it goes, and what it is turned into.
The new items accepted include plastic clamshell packaging used for produce such as berries and lettuce, paper cups, and plastic cups like those used by McDonald’s, Starbuck’s, the downtown DORA program, and the Black Swamp Arts Festival beer tents.
Solo plastic cups are still a no-go. The distinguishing feature is if a plastic cup can be scrunched up and crunches without breaking, it can be recycled, Sizer explained.
To increase local sustainability efforts, inform and create transparency, Rumpke customers can use the recycling center’s Sample Station, where sampling capabilities provide a quick and accurate recycling audit to help customers measure their recycling programs’ success or identify necessary adjustments.
Rumpke reportedly recycles 1 billion pounds of material annually, including by diverting 60,000 tons of glass annually from landfills.
Eighty percent of recyclables picked up in Ohio communities stay in Ohio. For example, many of the plastic bottles and jugs are sent to Phoenix Technologies in Bowling Green, where they become PET bottles. Much recycled plastic is also being turned into the large coiled drainage tubes that can be seen along roadways prior to installation.
Glass items are sent to the Rumpke Dayton Glass Processing Facility, and are made into fiberglass insulation and new glass bottles and jars. Paper products get converted into new cardboard boxes, and steel cans become new steel applications.
Rumpke distributes 95% of its collected recyclables to domestic markets and 80% to markets in the Midwest. Rumpke has fostered these regional markets over many years by supporting community recycling programs and building advanced recycling processing systems to sort recyclables by type. The company’s recycling facilities are equipped with high-tech sorting equipment, using sensors, lasers, and robots. The average amount that gets sent to landfills is 10% to 11%.
Recycling is not cheap, nor is it often profitable.
“It would be so much cheaper to take it to the landfill – but we believe in this,” Sizer said about the city’s commitment to recycling.
One of Sizer’s responsibilities is to make recycling as easy as possible for Bowling Green residents. That means sending out annual mailers, and “warm and fuzzy” letters to residents who repeatedly put their recyclables in plastic bags, or don’t put the bins at the curb properly.
The city wants to make it simple for residents to do the right thing.
“We really try to use pictures and not words,” she said.
“We want to keep our stream clean,” with as little trash thrown in as possible. “Luckily, our residents are very clean.”
Soon after Rumpke started working with Bowling Green, a load was dumped out to determine just how clean the stream was in BG.
“Even the Rumpke people have been impressed,” Sizer said.
“Most people want to do it right,” she said.
Rumpke Waste and Recycling is a family-owned and operated company that has been in business more than 90 years. The company serves more than 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout the U.S., including 500 municipalities and public entities.
Rumpke owns or operates landfills, transfer stations and recycling centers in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and West Virginia. The company has a fleet of nearly 3,000 hauling vehicles and a workforce of approximately 4,400 employees.
Local residents can download the city’s free Recycle Coach App to access the “What Goes Where?” tool, collection calendars, and more on the city’s website at www.bgohio.org.
Sizer also wants residents to call her with questions. She can be reached at 419-354-6284.
The city’s recycling program now accepts the following items:
Glass bottles
- Bottles and jars only. All colors.
- No window glass, ceramics, dishes or mirrors.
Mixed plastics
- Plastic bottles and jars. Rinse, flatten and put caps back on. Examples include milk jugs, detergent and shampoo bottles, plastic beverage bottles, plastic jars.
- Plastic containers with lids. Examples include yogurt containers, butter tubs, cottage cheese containers.
- Plastic clamshell containers, including produce containers, like those used for berries, lettuce and more.
- Plastic cups, such as fast food beverage cups cups.
- No bulky plastic (toys, crates, buckets, pipes, etc.)
- No film plastic.
Paper food containers
- Milk and ice cream cartons.
- Juice and broth boxes.
- Paper egg cartons.
- Cereal, frozen food boxes, etc.
- Paper coffee cups.
Paper
- Clean, dry newspaper.
- Magazines and catalogs.
- Paperback books.
- Office paper (all colors).
- Junk mail.
- No shredded paper. (Take to Bowling Recycling Center’s Drop Off)
Cardboard/paperboard
- Corrugated cardboard (wavy center).
- Paperboard (cereal boxes, dry-food boxes, frozen food boxes etc.)
- Flatten to save space.
- Remove all packing materials.
Aluminum and steel cans
- Aluminum beverage cans. Drain completely, may be flattened.
- Steel cans. Rinse clean. May be flattened.
No plastic bags. Do not bag recyclables. Do not put plastic grocery bags in recycling containers. Return those to the store for proper recycling.
For those who do not receive curbside service: The Bowling Green Recycling Center’s 24-hour drop off will remain available. Follow signage posted for the full list of accepted materials.
The Wood County Solid Waste Management District also provides 14 recycling drop offs around the county.
