By: Becky Suvar, Paulding County WMEA Program Manager
Recycling – it’s been the right thing to do for a long time. It began back in 1988 when the State of Ohio mandated that all 88 counties needed to divert waste from landfills. The easiest way to do that was to divide the state into Solid Waste Districts and begin recycling programs. Paulding County was teamed up with 3 other counties – Defiance, Fulton, and Williams.
A plan was formulated and each of the four counties got to work. Even though we were a unit, each of the four counties chose to do different activities to reach the goal of recycling.
Paulding County decided to ”peak the interest” of the county residents to recycle by creating a recycling competition among the school districts. A huge all school presentation in September of each year was created to begin the contest. The object was to collect as much recycling during the school year and store the items until Springtime. Then volunteers from the school – students, teachers, parents would gather their goods and bring them in on a designated Saturday; sort the items into huge cardboard boxes (gaylords), and put them on semitrailers. The trailers would take them to a recycling center and have them weighed. The school with the most tonnage won the contest and received a traveling trophy – made out of recycled items, of course!
Hard to believe that is how it all began. Over the years, the recycling program changed. It went from a 15 foot box truck to a 20 foot enclosed trailer to today’s units which consist of two 28 foot enclosed trailers being hauled all over the county with ton trucks.
We still collect the same basic items – steel cans, glass, newspaper, plastics 1 & 2, cardboard and aluminum cans.
While in the beginning, we had just one or two people take the truck out, we now have youth groups who man the trailers. They use this as a fund raiser and to give back to their communities. Over the next few weeks, the WMEA program will highlight the groups involved in not only the Saturday recycling activities, but students in the schools who are also helping. We will also share where else you are able to drop off recycling in the county.
For now, see below the recycling schedule for Paulding County – where to take your recycling and how to prepare the items. Because, you know, it is just the right thing to do!
COMMUNITY RECYCLING SCHEDULE
1st Saturday
Cecil Village – Fire station 9:00 – 12:00; Paulding Village – Fairgrounds parking 9:00 – 11:00; Grover Hill Village – VFW parking 9:00 – 11:00; Haviland/Scott Villages – Haviland park 11:15 – 12:00
2nd Saturday
Melrose Village – United Methodist parkin 9:00 – 9:30; Oakwood Village – Oakwood park 9:45 – 11:00; Junction Village – Old St Marys Church 11:15 – 12:00
3rd Saturday
Payne Village – Village Briceton Village – Amerigas Propane site1 11:15 – 11:45; Latty Village – Community Blding 12:00 – 12:30
Erie Recycling – 103 Waterplant Dr, Antwerp; 419-258-2345; – Open 24/7 – Takes regular recycle items along with appliances, electronics (no TVs), pallets
Koharts Recycling; 419-399-4144; – during business hours – only takes cardboard, newspapers, steel cans scrap metals
How to Prepare Recycling
Newspaper – can be brought in paper grocery sacks, boxes, bundled; Shredded paper – leave in bag; Magazines – in boxes, if possible; Cardboard – broken down; Plastics – only #1 = 2 liter pop bottles or clear containers; #2 = milk or water jugs and detergent bottles (Note there are 7 different kinds of plastics – to see if your item can be recycled, look on the bottom of the container. A triangle will appear with a number in it. We ONLY take # 1 and # 2); steel cans – rinsed; aluminum cans – rinsed; glass – rinsed, lids off
All items need to be separated from each other.
We DO NOT TAKE – window glass, broken or burnt glass, Styrofoam
If you have questions, please call Becky Suvar at 419-399-3630 for further information.
