Recycling News

Recycling Right

What is the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District (CCSWD)?

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District is the public agency helping the people of Cuyahoga County reduce, reuse and recycle at home, at work and in their communities. They serve as the leading resource in the County for information, expertise and programs that support sustainable materials management and reduce the environmental impact of waste. Visit www.CuyahogaRecycles.org or call (216) 443-3749 to learn how to recycle in your community and discover other recycling and disposal options.

5 Ways to Recycle Right
Done correctly, recycling is an easy way to make a difference in preserving the planet.

1. Leave recyclables loose – not bagged. Plastic bags do not belong in your recycling bin or cart. Plastic bags get tangled in the sorting machines at the recycling facilities and cause major problems for the recycling process. Plastic shopping bags can be recycled at many retail locations, including Giant Eagle, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Marc’s, Target and Walmart stores.
2. Make sure it’s clean and empty. Rinse residue from cartons, containers, bottles and jars or any other recyclable that may contain food particles. For example, greasy pizza boxes are not accepted.
3. Keep it dry. When it comes to paper and cardboard, keeping it dry is imperative for the recycling process. Please flatten all cardboard boxes as well.
4. Don’t wishcycle. Think you can throw everything into your recycling bin and it will get sorted out at the recycling plant? Think again. Recycling only these five core items is paramount: cans, cartons, glass, paper and plastic along with plastic bottles and jugs.
   
5. Join a social media community. Share a post. Do a story. Get engaged with the social media accounts in your community. You’ll find Cuyahoga County’s accounts located on Facebook, on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Once you’ve got the hang of recycling, you can also learn about various other eco-friendly topics from composting to zero-waste lifestyles. There’s seemingly no end to the ways we can reduce, reuse and recycle for a cleaner and greener today and tomorrow.

Resolve to Recycle Right in 2020

Welcome 2020! What is your resolution for the new year? If you made a resolution to recycle better and recycle right, we have some top tips to help you get started:

• Create less waste. REDUCE the number of items you buy or use. Skip the straw. Store some clean containers in your car to use for leftovers at your favorite restaurant. Choose a reusable bag instead of single-use paper or plastic. Ask yourself if you really need an item or what will happen to it when you are finished with it.
• Stock up on items that you can REUSE repeatedly. Buy glass bowls or containers for packing lunches. Use a refillable mug at a quick beverage store.

RECYCLE only the correct items in curbside recycling, including cans, cartons, glass bottles and jars, paper and boxes plus plastic bottles and jugs. Putting the wrong items in your curbside mix (wishcycling) can cause high contamination rates at the recycling plant and results in more items going to the landfill.

Be Passionate About Recycling Right

We love recycling. And, we REALLY love when everyone recycles right. That means focusing on the five items that belong in curbside recycling: Cans, cartons, glass bottles and jars, paper and boxes plus plastic bottles and jugs. Recycle right by including only these five in recycling, because everything else is considered contamination. Learn more about recycling right.

Schedule a Group Presentation or Seminar for 2020

We are now booking seminars, presentations and make-and-learns for the new year. Schedule a compost seminar, recycling presentation, hands-on reuse event or workplace lunch-and-learn with our staff. See a list of options here and request a visit today!

How Do I?…Recycle at Work

Cans, glass, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, pallets, ewaste, scrap metal. These are all items that may be generated at your place of business. They are also items that could be recycled.

If you don’t currently have a recycling program at work, you’re probably wondering where to begin. We’ve got some basic steps to help you get started. Or, register for a free “Waste & Recycling Sense for Business” seminar. Three seminars will be held this year.

Tips to Reduce Plastic Waste

Most single-use items are not recoverable and cannot be recycled. Plastic garbage that ends up in landfills and Lake Erie take hundreds or thousands of years to degrade. Plus, there’s growing concern about the chemicals and toxins that plastics release into the environment. Consider these easy ways to begin reducing plastic in everyday life.

Congratulations to Our Certified Master Recyclers

The Solid Waste District recently held a graduation ceremony for our most recent class of certified Master Recyclers. The program participants attended 20 hours of classroom instruction and tours plus they each performed 20 or more hours of service to help educate their community about recycling and waste reduction. This year’s graduates are residents of Bay Village, Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Lakewood, Lyndhurst and Parma. Learn more about the Master Recycler program.

Zerolandfill Materials Exchange in February

Zerolandfill Cleveland, the materials exchange program for carpet samples, tile, fabric, wall coverings and flooring will take place February 21-22 and 28 at the Solid Waste District. Design firms drop off expired samples for reuse by artists, students and teachers. The event is free. Learn more.

Cuyahoga County’s plastic bag ban went into effect on January 1, 2020. The legislation applies to grocery and retail establishments in Cuyahoga County. Learn more.