Recycling: As Easy as Free

Fall 2011 -

For all you underclassmen, or those who can remember those good old days living on campus, didn’t you love how easy recycling was?

It barely required any effort, beyond walking to one of your hallway closets to sort your recycling into three bins.  Then someone would empty the bins into a dumpster, and Rumpke would come and take it away.

For those who have moved off campus, whether into apartments or houses, it can still be that simple.

Butler County residents (those living in houses ONLY) already have recycling included with their monthly trash collecting.  Residents are defined as people living in a house, with four units or less.  Most apartment complexes do not count as residences.

For residents in Oxford who want a recycling bin, you just need to call (513) 524-5221, and ask for a recycling container.

If you live in an apartment building or complex, it takes a little more effort.

Since apartment buildings do not count as residences, the occupants must specifically ask for recycling and split the cost of adding a recycling bin to their route, between them.

Usually this cost ends up being cheaper than the original monthly bill because a recycling dumpster would replace a trash dumpster, and not be added on.  This is because recycling accounts for about 20% of trash, and so less trash would require 20% less dumpster space.

If the area only has one dumpster, then smaller “waste wheelers,” which are the green bins with lids and wheels, can also be purchased.  Finally, small red bins can be purchased if there is very limited space, but they have no lid.

If you are interested, first, talk to your landlord or realty company, as it is up to them whether or not recycling would be a good fit.  Second, offering an incentive can always help.

Butler County offers the Recycling Incentive Grant, which can offer anywhere from $500 to $4000 of startup money for one year of recycling.  The company or landlords involved must match 25% of that money.

Your landlord or realty company still may not agree with recycling because of several issues.  In many Uptown apartments, space for dumpsters can already be limited.

For some apartments, dumpsters are placed in alleys, which are technically city property and can be a hazard to cars.  Therefore if someone wanted to add something else to that space it could make it more dangerous.

Another problem that has arisen is when residents either accidentally or on purpose, throw trash into a recycling dumpster.  This also tends to happen Uptown when someone is walking down an alley and sees a dumpster or bin and just assumes trash can go into it.

When trash is placed into a recycling bin or dumpster, the company renting that bin must pay a fine because Rumpke has to sort through it later.

This is why some landlords have taken to locking their recycling dumpsters when they cannot be monitored and only letting residents recycle during daylight hours.

As a reminder items that can be recycling through Rumpke in Oxford are: newspapers, magazines, junk mail, phone books, brown paper bags, office paper, cardboard, paperboard (such as cereal boxes), plastic bottles & jugs (remove lids), glass bottles & food jars, aluminum cans, steel cans, and empty aerosol cans (remove tip).

For more information, visit butlercountyrecycles.org!

 

By: Ariana Williams