WOOD You Recycle?
4th Quarter 2017 Edition
During this holiday season, we encourage efforts to reduce extra waste generated at this time of year. Were you aware extra holiday waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about one million extra tons per week? Of this extra waste, 8,000 tons is wrapping paper used during the holiday season; this according to Use Less Stuff (ULS). 

The District encourages you to reduce your holiday waste with the following suggestions:
  • Reuse packaging materials and use earth-friendly wrapping materials.
  • Keep it simple. One thoughtful gift is better than multiple unwanted gifts.
  • Give the gift of an experience: lessons, a massage, tickets to an event, gift card to a favorite restaurant.
  • Recycle and compost as much as possible. Visit www.recyclewoodcounty.org for a recycling program near you.
 TREECYCLE?
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans purchase over 27 million live Christmas Trees each holiday season. In January, when your tree is dropping needles, we encourage you to treecycle! Over twenty locations in Wood County offer curbside pickup or drop off programs for residents. You may also recycle one Christmas tree per resident at the Wood County Landfill at no charge during the month of January. Trees collected by these programs are ground into mulch or used in habitat restoration projects. 

Remove all decorations, lights, and tinsel before recycling! Trees should not be placed in bags! Visit our website for a full list of Treecycle programs in Wood County.  
Tire Collection Wrap-Up
The Tire Collection Event was successful with 3,607 tires collected. We appreciate everyone who took the time to bring tires and for your patience while waiting to drop them off! This event was made possible through a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA). A special thank you to our partners who helped us make this event successful: Ohio EPA; Wood County Commissioners; Wood Soil & Water Conservation District; Wood County Health District, Wood County Fair Board; & Wood County Sheriff’s Office.

If you were unable to make it, please visit our website at www.recyclewoodcounty.org for everyday low cost tire disposal options. 
Ohio EPA Recycling & Litter Prevention Grants
The Ohio EPA offers competitive grants to communities, local governments, non-profits, and businesses to promote and implement recycling efforts, market development of recycled products, litter prevention efforts, and scrap tire management programs. Funding is available through the Community Development, Litter Management, Market Development, and Scrap Tire Grants. 

The deadline for 2018 applications is February 2, 2018. Application forms and additional information is available at www.epa.state.oh.us/ocapp/grants.aspx
 Recycling Around Wood County Update
We had the bid opening for the Monthly Satellite Locations on November 15 th. We received only one bid from the Bowling Green Recycling Center (BGRC). BGRC’s first year bid was $88,560 which was more than 10% over the bid estimate of $60,000. This caused us to have to reject the bid. 

After discussions with some area haulers and reviewing other Solid Waste Districts’ set-ups, we recommended moving forward with permanent drop-offs in 2018. There would likely be 10 locations after some of the locations are merged. North Baltimore’s recycling location would remain unchanged. The Bowling Green Recycling Center and NAT 24 Hour Drop Off locations would remain unaffected as well. Our goal is to provide the best service at the lowest cost. We believe the residents will be very receptive to 24/7 locations as officials from the proposed pilot locations were very receptive. The ability to accept mixed recyclables will provide ease of use to residents and likely the ability to recycle additional material.  

Now that we have received the support of the Wood County Commissioners to move forward, we will begin working with them, our Policy Committee, and the local jurisdictions to begin this process. As we progress with the steps needed to be completed for implementation we will keep you informed. We look forward to making the recycling program more accessible and convenient for our residents!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Q. Can I recycle styrofoam packing material? 

A. Stryofoam is not allowed at the drop-off locations, curbside containers or the Bowling Green Recycling Center. However, recycled molded foam and styrofoam “peanuts” are accepted at a few businesses in Wood County and also in Findlay (Hancock County).  Click here for a complete listing.   Another option is to save for re-use with storage or gifting of fragile items.  

Wood County Solid Waste Management District
One Courthouse Square
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402