Solid Waste Management
The Richland County Regional Solid Waste Management Authority (RCRSWMA or the Authority) came into existence in April 1996 by a vote of the county commissioners, city and village councils and the township trustees. The Solid Waste Authority encompasses all of Richland County.
The RCRSWMA is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees that meets monthly to address the business of the Authority.
The RCRSWMA has three long-term goals as set by the Ohio EPA and confirmed by the Authority's Board of Trustees:
- To reduce the amount of waste going to landfills from Richland County
- To increase the amount of recycling in the county
- To maintain the closed Richland County Landfill insuring it meets all Ohio EPA and US EPA rules and regulations
The Authority uses recycling as the primary means of reducing waste sent to landfills. Education, marketing and outreach stimulates residents to utilize the county’s recycling programs. For example, the RCRSWMA has 13 public drop-off recycling containers stationed throughout Richland County.
Education includes learning experiences related to the Environmental Classroom where students grasp the concepts of reducing, reusing and recycling through interactive discussions and hands-on activities.
To further increase recycling opportunities, the School & Community Recycling As Partners or SCRAP Trailer program welcomes recyclables at local K-12 schools. Recyclable materials such as aluminum cans, tin cans, #1 plastic (pop and water bottles), #2 plastic (milk jugs and laundry detergent bottles) and newspapers are collected at the SCRAP recycling trailer. The RCRSWMA rebates the proceeds from the sale of the materials to the school’s organizations. A schedule of where the SCRAP Trailer will be each day of the month is found on RCRSWMA’s website, www.richlandrecycles.com, and calendar.
Stop by RCRSWMA’s offices for a new calendar when dropping off recyclables and unused, unwanted and/or outdated electronics if unable to obtain a calendar at a SCRAP Trailer recycling site.
The Authority also manages a yard waste composting facility located across from the old county landfill at 441 Cairns Rd, providing residents a place to discard grass, leaves, shrubs and other plant material. Residents can purchase nutrient rich compost and decorative wood chips for a nominal fee at the compost facility (while seasonal supplies last).
RCRSWMA sponsors collection events throughout the year, such as Household Hazardous Waste Events, Scrap Tire Collection Events and Drug Take Back Days. Other annual events or projects may include Earth Stewardship Month in April and America Recycles Day in November.
The Authority is a self-sufficient department. All funding comes from 1) a generation fee of $7.50 per ton on all waste generated in Richland County; 2) a contract fee of $1.00 per ton of waste originating outside of Richland County and deposited at the Rumpke, Noble Road Landfill; and 3) awarded government grants.
