2008 Woodie Awards
Oxford announces 'green' initiatives
Officials encourage local residents to recycle 25 percent of city waste
Rebecca Kelley
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Community
Oxford is taking steps to go green with new efforts in recycling.
After a forum hosted Feb. 26 by Oxford and Butler County, community members are taking action to boost recycling among citizens and students.
Representatives from Miami University's recycling program, the city of Oxford and the Butler County Solid Waste Management district formed a panel for the forum. Each gave a short presentation regarding current recycling efforts. The community then had the opportunity to question the panel.
According to David Treleaven, environmental specialist for the city of Oxford, while all houses in Oxford have curbside recycling provided by Rumpke, residents only recycle 15-15.5 percent of the total waste that they produce.
"We certainly can improve on that," Treleaven said. "But at the same time, it's better than nothing."
Treleaven said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants communities recycling around 25 percent of their total waste. However, he was optimistic and suggested that Oxford is on its way to meeting this goal.
According to Anne Fiehrer-Flaig, solid waste district coordinator for Butler County, one of the reasons the recycling rates in Oxford, and Ohio in general, are so low is the costly nature of recycling.
"I think that part of the challenge we have in our state is that it's cheap to throw things away in the garbage," Fiehrer-Flaig said.
Fiehrer-Flaig explained that the Butler County Solid Waste Management district is currently trying to provide financial incentives to cities in Butler County in exchange for improved recycling. According to Fiehrer-Flaig, the funds provided to these communities can be used at the discretion of each specific city.
Treleaven said that one of the main issues Oxford citizens face is the inability of Rumpke, the current recycling provider, to recycle a wide variety of common items such as certain number-two plastics that make up microwave dinner containers and yogurt cups. According to Treleaven, the reason for this is the make up of the plastic.
After a forum hosted Feb. 26 by Oxford and Butler County, community members are taking action to boost recycling among citizens and students.
Representatives from Miami University's recycling program, the city of Oxford and the Butler County Solid Waste Management district formed a panel for the forum. Each gave a short presentation regarding current recycling efforts. The community then had the opportunity to question the panel.
According to David Treleaven, environmental specialist for the city of Oxford, while all houses in Oxford have curbside recycling provided by Rumpke, residents only recycle 15-15.5 percent of the total waste that they produce.
"We certainly can improve on that," Treleaven said. "But at the same time, it's better than nothing."
Treleaven said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants communities recycling around 25 percent of their total waste. However, he was optimistic and suggested that Oxford is on its way to meeting this goal.
According to Anne Fiehrer-Flaig, solid waste district coordinator for Butler County, one of the reasons the recycling rates in Oxford, and Ohio in general, are so low is the costly nature of recycling.
"I think that part of the challenge we have in our state is that it's cheap to throw things away in the garbage," Fiehrer-Flaig said.
Fiehrer-Flaig explained that the Butler County Solid Waste Management district is currently trying to provide financial incentives to cities in Butler County in exchange for improved recycling. According to Fiehrer-Flaig, the funds provided to these communities can be used at the discretion of each specific city.
Treleaven said that one of the main issues Oxford citizens face is the inability of Rumpke, the current recycling provider, to recycle a wide variety of common items such as certain number-two plastics that make up microwave dinner containers and yogurt cups. According to Treleaven, the reason for this is the make up of the plastic.
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