City of Oberlin's Zero Waste Plan Goals

While this February’s fire that destroyed the City of Oberlin’s refuse fleet was not an ideal scenario, it did provide a catalyst for the City to rethink its public recycling and refuse program.  The new process, which launches this week, is one step toward realizing the City’s new Zero Waste policy, passed by City Council in May 2014.  Oberlin’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Commission worked closely with the City to develop the new zero waste policy.

Each residence will receive two 64-gallon carts; one for recycling and one for refuse.  The City’s revised recycling process does not require sorting on behalf of the residents.  Multiple sources have noted that mixed, single stream has proven to improve recycling rates in municipalities by 30%-%50%, nationally.  All recyclables will be taken to Republic’s recycling facility just east of town.  Republic’s facility was built in 2013 and uses an advanced sorting system with the latest technology in mechanical and optical sorting.  The facility is touted as one of the most advanced in the state.

Arguably, the most innovative aspect of the new recycling & refuse program is the purchase of three hybrid hydraulic recycling trucks with automated pickup.  Oberlin is the first municipality in the state of Ohio to purchase and utilize these fuel-efficient trucks.   Parker Hannifin, the collection by about 30%.

Students at Oberlin College played a role in enabling the City to purchase these state-of-the-art recycling trucks through funds made available by the Green Edge Fund.  In the fall of 2007, Oberlin College students voted to raise their student fees to support the creation of the Green Edge Fund.  Every semester students pay $20 toward the fund that uses this money to fund efficiency and sustainability project on campus and in the broader Oberlin community.  This year, the Fund approved a grant for up to $10,000 per truck for up to three trucks to the City of Oberlin to restore and modernize their recycling program.