Is curbside recycling coming to Hancock County?

Hancock County municipalities interested in establishing free curbside recycling in the years ahead could get some help. While the county's recycling plan for the next five years doesn't establish new curbside programs, it does say they should be supported. The plan is making its way through the local government approval process. Findlay City Council is set to vote on the plan Tuesday. Village and township governments throughout the county are being asked to do the same. Once a majority of the municipalities approve the plan, it will then be submitted to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for adoption. "There are very few changes in this plan from previous years regarding programs," said Courtney B. Comstock, director of Litter Landing with the Hancock County Solid Waste Management District. Comstock said the EPA is always looking to improve community education programs and outreach programs. "The Solid Waste Management District will look at adding more community education programs as well as hosting the community collection events, such as household hazardous waste and tire collections, as we have done in previous years," she said. Since 2016, the district has been successful in reducing and recycling an average of about 42% of the waste generated in the county. In 2019, Hancock County generated 159,861 tons of waste, with 43%, or 68,706 tons, being reduced or recycled. The district currently manages several drop-off sites throughout Hancock County, along with Litter Landing, 1720 E. Sandusky St. However, free curbside recycling continues to be an elusive goal for the district. Curbside recycling is believed to be the most effective method of reducing residential waste disposal, but it has been traditionally difficult to establish in Hancock County. In its plan, the district said it will continue to discuss the idea with local governments and will provide information and technical details to any interested municipality or local hauler. However, budget constraints have stopped the district from providing "any substantial assistance with start-up or maintenance of curbside programs," according to the update. Currently, fee-based curbside recycling is offered in Findlay and county villages by AE Curbside Service, 431 Prospect Ave., Findlay. The company collects commingled paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, steel cans, glass and plastic containers. According to the district's update, making the switch from several trash haulers to a single hauler that would provide curbside recycling countywide is problematic. There are concerns about the impact to the market and resistance from residents who want to pick their own haulers. However, communitywide, nonsubscription waste collection with curbside recycling is popular and results in substantial increases in recycling. Fees for the service would be competitive with private trash hauler prices. In the past, private haulers that offered subscription curbside in the past either have gone out of business or have curtailed their efforts to extend curbside recycling to new customers. For now, the solid waste district expects its biggest "gains" in reducing the waste generated in Hancock County will be the decrease in "excluded waste" of construction and demolition material generated by the demolition of structures in the floodplain. The district's proposed plan is available for public review online on the district's page on Hancock County's government website: www.co.hancock.oh.us/home.