|
Brad Martin had an idea. A crazy idea
some would say: “Let’s line up thousands of
aluminum cans in order to promote recycling.” Martin’s
idea became a reality when his team collected, transported
and neatly aligned 30,162 cans, crushing the previous Guinness
Book of World Records mark of the world’s longest
line of aluminum cans. Some dismissed it as a college stunt,
but Brad’s efforts helped refocus attention on one
of the best ways to save energy: recycling. His “crazy
idea” also boosted Clermont County’s recycling
rate.
| Issue Primer on
Recycling |
Recycling is an
issue that has lost some of its luster over the years. However,
it has not lost its importance. Using recyclables conserves
energy used for manufacturing and lessens the environmental
impacts associated with harvesting raw materials. It also
allows us to decrease the amount of trash thrown into landfills.
However, recycling is not just an environmental issue. It
also has huge economic impacts. In 2002 alone, state agencies
reported recycling over 2,338 tons of material, saving the
state of Ohio over $280,000 in disposal fees. The recycling
industry also fuels Ohio’s economy. Recycling in Ohio
is a $30 billion industry. It gives workers good jobs, employing
over 98,000 people throughout the state. It also encourages
major capital investments and supports state government
through fees.
Recycling’s
Beginnings in Ohio: House Bill 592
| In 1988, the Ohio General Assembly
first addressed the issue of recycling in House Bill
592. This dramatic piece of legislation required that
the Director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
work with the Solid Waste Management Advisory Council
to prepare and adopt a state solid waste management
plan. The first plan was adopted in 1995. It was later
amended in 2001. This plan contained many goals including: |
 |
1. Reducing and/or recycling at least
25 percent of the residential/commercial solid waste, 66
percent of the industrial solid waste, and 50 percent of
all solid waste generated statewide by the year 2005, and
2. Creating a market development strategy so that the recycled
materials are consumed and used.
We are very close to meeting these goals. In 2002, the Ohio
Environmental Protection Agency reported a 21.48 percent
recycling rate for residential and commercial areas, a 63.69
percent recycling rate for industrial areas, and an overall
44.59 percent recycling rate statewide.
Ohio has also worked hard to create a market development
strategy to use recycled materials. In 2002, state agencies,
boards, and commissions purchased over $2,000,000 in recycled
materials. This was facilitated through Substitute House
Bill 25, enacted in May 1993.
Ohio needs to do a better job of practicing
the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. But in the
last state budget, the Ohio General Assembly made deep cuts
to state funding for local recycling programs. Read about
the OEC’s advocacy for community-based recycling during
last year’s state
budget debate (PDF). Read
more. (PDF)
(OEC
Press Release on Conflicting Budgetary Issues) (PDF)
Printer
friendly PDF version of the Recycling Briefing Paper
(PDF)
External
Links:
The GrassRoots
Recycling Network
Zero
Waste America
Container
Recycling Institute
Eco•Cycle
|
