Improved Recycling in Cincinnati - Hooray!!

The City of Cincinnati and Rumpke Recycling came together Thursday at the original La Rosa's pizza on Boudinot Avenue in the West Side to make a special announcement about changes to the recycling program in Cincinnati. City Council members Roxanne Qualls and Greg Harris were present, as well as Mayor Mark Mallory, the Rumpke Vice President, the director of the city's Office of Environmental Quality Larry Falkin, and director of recycling Sue Magness to make the announcements.


Rumpke and the City of Cincinnati have come together to offer more recycling options for the citizens of Cincinnati. Starting today, you can now put ALL plastic bottles and jugs (regardless of number) in your bin! To be classified as a bottle or a jug, the top of the container must be smaller than the bottom. These items include syrup containers, shampoo bottles, a water bottle, etc. Plastics not in the shape of a bottle (such as a butter tub or plastic bag or food tray) are not currently accepted.!!

It used to be that only plastics #s 1 and 2 were allowed, but Rumpke has spent 6 million dollars in new sorting technology that allows for all plastic bottles to be included. Here is a rundown of the all the currently accepted materials, from the City of Cincinnati website:

List of acceptable materials:

• NOW Accepting all plastic bottles and jugs (no lids)
• Glass jars and bottles of any color
• Aluminum, steel and bi-metal cans
• Empty aerosol cans with lids and tips removed
• Brown grocery bags
• Computer paper, and other mixed office paper
• Corrugated cardboard, broken down to 3' X 3'
• Envelopes, with or without windows
• Junk mail
• Magazines
• Newspapers with inserts
• Paperboard, such as cereal boxes
• Telephone books
• NOW Accepting pizza boxes (free of food residue) 

 Unacceptable Items:

• Plastic that are not bottles or jugs, such as whipped topping containers, butter tubs, yogurt cups or food trays
• Plastic bags
• Motor oil jugs or other chemical containers
• Styrofoam
• Lids/caps - recycle plastic lids at Aveda , recycle metal lids at local scrap dealers who accept steel
  
• Window or drinking glass
• Light bulbs
• Coat hangers or steel scrap
• Paint cans
• Light bulb

The city actually generates revenue and creates jobs by increasing the amount of material recycled. We save thousands of dollars in tipping fees, and for every 10,000 tons of material recycled, 35 jobs are created as opposed to 2 jobs for every 10,0000 tons of waste.

It may not come as a surprise, but the reason the conference was held at La Rosa's is that... CLEAN (that is, non-greasy and free of food-stuff) pizza boxes are also now accepted in your green recycling bin! Please make sure that all the items you place in your bin are clean and dry. Not only is it important for the machines to be able to process clean material, but can you imagine being a recycling worker opening a milk jug that hasn't been washed out and has sat for weeks and weeks?? Vomit.

Anyway, the conference was great, and there was free pizza afterwards (score!) And, in case you're curious, Mayor Mallory divulged his ideal pizza - that is, a small deep dish with bacon, pepperoni, mushrooms, pineapple, and green olives... well done. So if you're looking to get in good with the mayor... now you know a way to his heart!


So, to sum up:

ALL Plastic bottles can go in your bins! If it's not a bottle (and not #1, 2), you can't recycle it. (Just rinse them out first - don't be that guy)
CLEAN Pizza boxes can go in your bins!

If your little bin is overwhelmed with the amount of new stuff you can recycle, you can now put out 2 or more bins at the curb!! Call 513-591-6000 to order a recycling bin today, or order online here.  I got one for the Tuxedo Shop... I'm pretty sure they now think I am certifiably insane... but, hey. Whatever works!