Resources

Free Curbside Composting Pilot

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The Compost Exchange in Columbus will be launching a FREE pilot program for the Clintonville, Olde Towne East, Westrville, Powell, and Delaware Neighborhoods. The program includes free four week curbside pickup for composting material!

This program will run from Sept 22 through the week of Oct 27.

Service includes:

  • Weekly pickup at your service address.
  • One (1) 5-gallon container with airtight lid.
  • Fresh compostable liners provided each week.
  • Free compost for your garden each year.

Pilot details:

  • This is a free trial program starting on September 23rd, 2025 and lasting for four (4) weeks.
  • You will automatically be billed after the pilot ends on October 28th at the rate of $23/month.
  • You can cancel anytime during the pilot, and we will collect your bucket on the next service day.

The Compost Exchange will continue it’s program for drop-off through this pilot if you are not in one of these neighborhoods.

Sign up before Sept 21 for the Fall Pilot Programs in your neighborhood.

Learn How to Divert Items from the Landfill

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Office Cleanouts with Facilities Operations and Development make a sustainable difference

In 2024, the Recycling and Refuse Services team helped divert more than six tons of hard cover books from the landfill through our hard cover book recycling program, thanks in large part to faculty and staff who reached out during office cleanouts.

These cleanouts provide an excellent opportunity to responsibly recycle large volumes of materials that accumulate over time. Whether you’re moving offices, clearing out storage, or just doing a bit of spring, or (fall) cleaning, Ohio State’s Zero Waste team is here to help make your efforts more sustainable.

Planning an Office Cleanout? Here’s How We Can Help:

If you’re preparing for a cleanout – big or small – contact the Recycling and Refuse Services at recycle@osu.edu to request additional recycling and disposal capacity. They can provide extra containers for collecting recyclable items and coordinate pickups to keep your workspace clear.

Commonly recycled items from cleanouts include:

  • Office paper and file folders
  • Soft cover and hard cover books
  • Cardboard
  • Magazines and journals
  • Certain office supplies and packaging

By working together, we can ensure that reusable and recyclable materials stay out of the landfill.

To request support for your cleanout, contact recycle@osu.edu.

Let’s build on last year’s success and make this year even more impactful!

More Information and Resources

Back to School in a Sustainable Way

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Tips from SWACO for a sustainable school year

It is officially back to school season, and whether you are stocking up on school supplies or adjusting to a new routine, we can help you do it in a sustainable and cost efficient way. Here are some quick tips to help you get an A+ in sustainability and savings.

– Reduce carbon emissions and material waste. Walking, biking, or even carpooling to school can make a huge difference in the reduction of traffic and your carbon footprint.

– Buy second-hand and donate what you no longer need.  Second-hand and resale shops can offer excellent value and keep old clothes, sports equipment, and technology out of the landfill.

-Pack to prevent waste. Cut down on lunchtime waste by using a reusable lunchbox and water bottle, and reduce packing waste by avoiding pre-packaged foods.  You can even have your child bring leftovers home for tomorrow’s lunch or the garden compost.

– Utilize SWACO’s resources for schools. We offer grants, landfill tours, lesson plans, games, and educational resources for students, teachers, and schools.

Learn about SWACO’s Resources for Schools

Also see below for some great events hosted by SWACO this month!

For more information, visit https://www.swaco.org/

New way to recycle plant pots, trays

| Susannah Kistler

Woman putting soil in empty black seed trays

The Ohio State University Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) are teaming up to collect your unwanted plant pots, cell packs, and trays so that they can be recycled.

Event Details:

• Date: Monday, July 7 – Monday, July 28

• Location: By Old Laundry Building (near dumpsters in parking lot near UniPrint) 2560 Kenny Road

• Instructions: Pots must be free of soil, brushed out and stacked neatly inside the recycling carts lined with orange bags for easy collection. Empty any soil in the nearby green compost toters.

• Please bring only plastic items for recycling. At this time, we cannot accept pots made from peat, pulp, or other biodegradable materials.

• Please note: The drop-off site will not be staffed.

All collected materials will be recycled through the Hefty ReNew Program through the Rumpke Material Recovery Facility in Columbus, Ohio. Any items that have reached the end of their useful life will be responsibly recycled.

Interested in doing more? Sign up for the free faculty and staff compost drop-off program to continue your involvement throughout the year.

Textile recycling opportunities

| Susannah Kistler
It can be hard to decide what to do with clothes, towels, sheets, etc. when they’re torn or stained to the point of being unusable. SWACO is currently running a pilot to take these end-of-life textiles to be recycled domestically for things like punching bags, bedding, casket padding and more.
There are currently two SWACO drop-off locations in central Ohio (with more to be added), and Ohio State faculty, staff and students can drop off at Kottman Hall from June 1 to Aug. 1.

Veganuary Challenge with the Green Team

| davidson.334

It’s that time of year again! Are you ready to try plant forward eating in the New Year for your health, the environment, and the animals? This year, the Green Team ERG invites you to join a fun Bingo challenge activity. Complete a Bingo to earn prizes! See the bottom of this post for rules.

We will also be posting weekly to provide information on plant-based eating and its positive impacts on the environment. For week 1, read on to learn about “Veganuary.”

Veganuary is a non-profit organization that encourages people worldwide to try a plant-based (vegan) diet for one month each year. A plant-based diet has proven health benefits, including increased energy levels, decreased cholesterol levels, decreased blood pressure, and decreased body weight.

It’s the most environmentally friendly diet too. It has been calculated that if you stick to a vegan diet for one month, you’ll be responsible for saving over 30,000 gallons of water, 900 square feet of forest and 273 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions – that’s better than giving up your car for a month!

If you sign up for the Veganuary Challenge, you’ll be sent a free downloadable version of the 2025 Veganuary Celebrity Cookbook, a Budget Meal Plan, and Starter Kit. You’ll then receive 31 days of support emails to inspire, motivate and help you through the month – with everything from recipes and meal plans to tips on where to get your nutrients and how to stock your cupboards. And if that’s not enough, you’ll get access to the Veganuary Facebook Group where you can meet and connect with other participants, ask questions, and gain additional support.

This is a great way to get us more involved in our health, nutrition, and the huge issues around the sustainability of the food we eat. And it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing; starting with small changes can still make a difference. I really hope you’ll give it a go with us!

Rules for OSU Vegan January Bingo: 

  1. Download the Bingo board attached to this post
  2. Complete as many spaces as you can by 1/31/25
  3. Submit completed board to pennington.165@osu.edu by 1/31/25
  4. Everyone who submits a board will receive a small gift from the OSU Green Team
  5. Each BINGO is an entry to the prize raffle where you can win an annual membership to Chadwick Arboretum or one of two The Friendly Vegan Cookbooks
  6. For extra entries and to be featured on the HealthBeat HUB and Green Team website, submit a photo of yourself completing one of the board spaces!

OSU Vegan January Bingo

Good Luck!

The OSU Green Team

Donate Your Live-Cut Christmas Trees to Build Habitat for Wildlife

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After the holidays, live-cut Christmas trees can be repurposed as habitat for various species of animals, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Before you discard your tree, remember that it can find life after the holidays for Ohio’s birds, fish, mammals, and more.

Each winter, recycled live-cut Christmas trees are donated to the Division of Wildlife and placed at select wildlife areas and public lakes around Ohio. The trees are bundled together and weighed down so they sink to the bottom of lakes, attracting fish and providing cover. Many species are attracted to this dense cover, including crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass.

An interactive lake map showing where trees are placed to attract fish is available at wildohio.gov and on the HuntFish OH mobile app.

Private pond owners may also want to consider repurposing trees to add habitat to their ponds.

A live-cut Christmas tree can also be recycled as the centerpiece of a wildlife-friendly brush pile. Place the tree in a desirable location and layer limbs around it in a square arrangement. Cover the top with additional brush to create a unique and valuable shelter for small animals.

Songbirds including cardinals, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and wrens travel in and out of brush piles for food, nesting, and to escape predators. Small mammals such as rabbits and chipmunks also use brush piles for shelter and raising young. Brush piles are valuable shelter for overwintering insects like bees, moths, and butterflies, as well.

Live-cut Christmas trees are also useful as compost, mulch, and more.

Here are some options for your live-cut Christmas tree following the holidays:

Central Ohio

  • The Morrow County Soil and Water Conservation District accepts live-cut trees to benefit wildlife at the Headwaters Outdoor Education Center, 151 Home Road, Mount Gilead, until Jan. 20, 2025.

Northeast Ohio 

  • The Mahoning County Green Team accepts donated trees at designated drop-off sites until Jan. 31, 2025. The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office Community Service Program collects and prepares trees to be used for fish and wildlife habitat in partnership with ODNR.

Southeast Ohio

  • The Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District will collect trees between now and January 22, 2025 at the Sutton Road Recycling Center (Logan), Southeast Ohio Recycling Terminal (The Plains), and Rural Action Zero Waste/Upcycle (Athens). The trees will be used for fish structure in coordination with ODNR.
  • City of Athens residents can arrange pickup on Tuesdays and Fridays through Jan. 31, 2025. Call the city at 740-592-3343 and leave undecorated trees on the curb. The trees will be used for fish structure.
  • City of Chillicothe residents can drop off trees at the Yoctangee Park Annex between now and January 24, 2025. The trees will be used for fish structure.
  • Lawrence County residents can drop their trees at designated locations for collection by Wayne National Forest staff. The trees will be used for wildlife structure.
  • Drop off trees at the park administrative office at Salt Fork State Park, 14755 Cadiz Road, Lore City, until Jan. 31, 2025.

Southwest Ohio

  • Drop off your undecorated tree at the North Pool Boat Ramp at Caesar Creek State Park, 8570 E. State Route 73, Waynesville, until Jan. 19, 2025. Trees are used to create fish habitat.
  • Eastwood MetroPark, 1401 Harshman Road, Dayton, accepts undecorated live trees until Jan. 28, 2025. Trees will be used as fish habitat in the lake.

Before repurposing or disposing of a live-cut Christmas tree, remember to remove all trimmings including tinsel, garland, lights, and ornaments as these can be harmful to the environment and wildlife. Please obtain proper permission before discarding your tree on public or private property. Discarding trees without permission could result in a litter violation.

Post-Holiday Cleanup with City of Columbus Convenience Centers

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When it’s out with the old and in with the new after the holidays, residents can use the City of Columbus Waste and Reuse Convenience Centers as a one-stop solution for environmentally friendly cleanup, reuse and recycling.

Residents may drop off a variety of items at the Convenience Centers, at 2100 Alum Creek Dr. and 1550 Georgesville Rd., for reuse, recycling, composting and proper disposal. After the holidays, households may have more trash, including cardboard and gift wrap, old electronics, bulk items and food scraps that don’t fit, or shouldn’t be disposed of, in their city refuse and recycling containers.

The Convenience Centers accept these items and more, including string lights, donated bicycles and gently used clothing and furniture for reuse. The centers are operated by the city’s Division of Refuse Collection, and staff is available to assist residents with proper sorting when they drop off items.

The city service diverts the amount of trash tonnage taken to the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill to help extend its life and support Columbus Climate Action Plan goals.

The Convenience Centers are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. but will be closed on Christmas, Dec. 25, and on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1. Get more information here.

Refuse Collection also offers seven drop-off sites for food scraps composting collection that Columbus residents can access seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The designated outdoor collection containers are located at these city Recreation and Parks sites:

  • Bill McDonald Athletic Complex, 4990 Olentangy River Rd., 43214
  • Dodge Park and Community Center, 667 Sullivant Ave., 43215
  • Scioto Southland Park, 3901 Parsons Ave., 43207
  • Beatty Park and Community Center – 247 N. Ohio Ave., 43203
  • Northeast Park and Howard Community Center – 2505 Cassady Ave., 43219
  • Linden Park and Community Center – 1350 Briarwood Ave., 43211
  • Carriage Place Community Center – 4900 Sawmill Rd., 43235

Get more information about what you can drop off at the food scraps collection sites here.

Get WastED With SWACO

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SWACO has launched WastED, a waste and recycling podcast to give voice to many of the innovative sustainability and recycling initiatives taking place across central Ohio. By sharing these stories with listeners, we demystify the recycling process and build confidence in the recycling system.

This month’s episode includes guests from Rumpke Waste & Recycling and Coca-Cola Consolidated chatting about Ohio’s circular economy and what, exactly, happens after families put their metal cans and plastic bottles into their recycling bin each week.  Join the conversation. Download the podcast below or listen wherever you stream.  

Recycle Your Political Yard Signs After the Election

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This time of year, political yard signs of all types sprout up like daisies in yards and public rights of way throughout central Ohio.  These metal, plastic, and paper signs are a vital way for voters to express themselves and to encourage their neighbors to vote, but once the election is over, they become clutter in our garages and litter on the roadside.

Fortunately, though, there are several convenient, easy, and free ways to recycle those signs so that they can continue to be useful and don’t end up in our community’s landfill.  SWACO is holding its yearly Election Sign Recycling Event on the Saturday after the election, and there are also two other locations this year where you can drop off yard signs for recycling.

  • SWACO Recycling Convenience Center Drop-Off: Throughout the month of November, yard signs and their metal stakes can be dropped off at the SWACO Recycling Convenience Center at 2566 Jackson Pike in Columbus between 10:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
  • Board of Elections Drop-Off: Yard signs can be dropped off November 5th through December 1st at the east end of the parking lot near the Franklin County Board of Elections building at 1700 Morse Rd. in Columbus.
  • One Day Mobile Collection Event: On November 9th from 8 a.m. to noon, there will be an election sign collection event held in the parking lot at the Bill McDonald Athletic Complex located at 4990 Olentangy River Rd. in Columbus.

If you are unable to attend the mobile collection event or visit one of the mentioned locations, paper signs can be placed in your home’s curbside recycling container and the stretchy plastic signs can be recycled at retail locations accepting film plastics. Please don’t put coroplast signs or metal stands in curbside or drop off containers.

All of the yard sign drop-off and collection options are free and open to the public.

Swaco.org