Wapakoneta Recycles!

and you can recycle too.

How Wapakoneta Recycles:

Wapakoneta, Ohio has reduced its garbage dramatically by implementing an aggressive but voluntary municipal curbside pick-up recycling program. Designed and promoted by the city's Waste Minimization Committee, the program has 97% participation. The concept is simple- garbage and recycling are handled on the same weekly schedule. Residents are charged $6 per month for garbage service. Mixed non-recyclables are collected in 30 gallon bags costing the resident $1 each or in 15 gallon bags at 50 cents. Recyclables are collected at no additional charge in boxes provided. The more the resident recycles- the cheaper the service.

Markets are maintained by the Auglaize County Solid Waste District. Sorting at the Wapakoneta "drive-thru" recycling center is accomplished by volunteer groups who keep whatever revenues are generated by the materials they sort. Because revenues are routinely around $400 for 4 hours' work Saturday morning, there is usually a long queue. Volunteers learn first-hand about the 'finer points' of recycling and become experts at what to keep and what to toss.

What Wapakoneta Recycles:

GLASS clear, green and brown bottles and jars
ALUMINUM food and beverage containers, foil and pie plates
#1 and #2 PLASTICS no pesticide or oil containers
CORRUGATED CARDBOARD cartons, clean pizza boxes
MIXED PAPER newspaper, computer paper, magazines, mail, telephone books, paper bags, paperboard boxes (food, kleenex, cereal and clothing) paper towel and tissue rolls. Place items in paper bags.

What else Wapakoneta recycles:

The following items are also diverted from the landfill:

COMPOSTABLES are composted in Waste Minimization Committee subsidized backyard composters or accepted along with brush, limbs and fire wood at the city farm on Water Street.

DROP AND SWAP

"Its not waste until its wasted." -Paul Connett

In 2001, you reached a 34% recycling rate, Wapakoneta!

TYPE	CITY POUNDS	CITY VALUE	GROUP POUNDS	GROUP VALUE
Aluminum	50,571	$21,496.53	12,128	$5,134.97
Bi-Metal	0	0	0	0
Tin Cans	65,673	656.73	20,283	235.60
Clear Glass	64,026	512.21	98,800	790.40
Green Glass	0	0	26,757	0
Brown Glass	67,788	541.58	97,391	779.12
PETE Plastic (2 liter)	714	49.98	45,041	5,257.76
HDPE Plastic (Milk)	595	71.40	34,223	4,276.68
HDPE Plastic (Color)	392	27.44	25,744	1,930.04
Scrap Aluminum	0	0.00	861	17.22
Cardboard	819,278	12,999.52	0	0.00
Newspaper	1,680,116	4,251.20	0	6,447.19
TOTAL		$40,606.59		$24,868.98

Amount generated by selling recyclables: $65,475.57

Amount Wapakoneta saved by not landfilling the above recyclables: $57,416.40

Total trash hauled to be landfilled: 3914.62 tons

Cost of landfilling what was not diverted for recycling: (@$36.90/ton) $144,449.48

Total Recycled Material: 1524 tons in 2001!

Total commercial and residential refuse collected: 3,917 tons

Wapakoneta sold 950 cases of white and red garbage bags in 2001.

Approximately 3,400 gallons of used motor oil was collected on Saturday drop-off.

Wapakoneta has 3,836 (average) residential refuse pick-up customers per week.

Wapakoneta has 208 commercial refuse pick-up customers per week.

Wapakoneta Recycles Hot Line: dial RE-USERS

Marlene Froning: Ohio's Recycling Volunteer of the Year 1999!

this page prepared by Steve Schuler sschuler@bright.net last updated April 24 2002