Now is the time for your voice to be heard. Now is the time to have a say in the future of recycling services in Athens and Hocking counties. Our region of Southeast Ohio has, through the years, been ahead of the curve when it comes to recycling. Now, with a Jan. 30 public meeting in Logan and a Feb. 4 public meeting in Athens, our communities have the opportunity to ensure we remain a leader in resource recovery and recycling.
Athens and Hocking counties have funded a feasibility study to be completed by GT Environmental regarding the effectiveness of upgrading the current recycling process to a materials-recovery facility. Such a MRF (rhymes with Smurf) would combine state-of-the-art machinery and local jobs to efficiently sort recyclable resources. The presence of a MRF in Southeast Ohio would allow Athens, Hocking and most likely surrounding counties to move away from our current source-separated systems and toward the industry standard of collecting all recyclables in one bin. This shift, when invested in by other communities, across the board simplifies recycling and increases resource recovery rates.
The benefits of recycling are numerous: building sustainability, creating jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign resources. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees and 7,000 gallons of water. Making an aluminum can from recycled metal requires only 5 percent as much energy as making a can from virgin materials. Because products made from recycled materials require less energy, recycling also means fewer greenhouse-gas emissions. Recycling minimizes landfills’ production of methane and carbon dioxide as well. Additionally, the EPA reports that recycling enterprises produce an estimated $236 billion in annual revenue while providing employment for millions of people, frequently providing jobs in otherwise depressed areas with above-average unemployment rates.
Now is the time to decide whether those jobs are going to stay in Athens and Hocking counties and whether Athens and Hocking are going to commit to bringing our recycling efforts into the 21st century. Now is the time for our voices to be heard. Meetings are at 6 p.m. on Jan. 30 at the Logan High School cafeteria and Feb. 4 at the Athens Community Center in Multi-Purpose Room C.
D. Andrew Ladd is Ohio University’s recycling and refuse manager.
