Recycling
Jenni Kristoff, Bexley Resident
I started recycling back in the 90’s as a teenager with an interest in reducing my family’s amount of waste. I somehow convinced my parents to let me put several bins in our garage to collect our recycling to drop off at a local facility. Back then, residential recycling in the US was in its infancy. Now, we have so many more options available to us. Recycling in Bexley is a relatively easy process. We keep a basket in our basement that is then emptied into the larger bin provided by the city for curbside pickup. No sorting is necessary. And for those of us who like yogurt, sour cream, and cottage cheese, Rumpke has some good news for the 2021. They are now accepting the some of the #5 tubs that are used to package many of those foods! Although the types of materials accepted for recycling have increased, only select paper, plastic, and metal items are accepted in our cubside system. For example, napkins should not be placed in the recycling bin, and an otherwise acceptable plastic bottle is discounted if there is too much product left inside. Recycling works best when we all do it correctly, so please refrain from wishcycling (placing items in the toter and hoping they get recycled. When in doubt, throw it out (or contact Green Bexley to get an answer)! More information about what can and cannot be placed in the recycling toter is available at greenbexley.org/recycle-right.
Of course, recycling should not be the first, or only, step to reduce what we put in our garbage bins. Another great way to reduce waste is composting. Composting is beneficial because it diverts organic matter from the landfill, where it would otherwise sit for an extraordinary length of time producing methane- a greenhouse gas 20-ish times more detrimental than carbon dioxide! We have a compost bin in our backyard, but Bexley also has a great program for curbside recycling as well. They supply the buckets-you supply the food scraps. Families can sign up for the program by filling out a form at https://bexley.org/food-waste/. We keep a small covered receptacle by our kitchen sink so that we don’t have to go outside every time we have food scraps. Because our backyard bin tends to freeze in the winter, we love the Bexley composting program during the cold months. I have learned a lot about what can be included in the compost bin. Not only can food waste be added to the bin, but paper towels, broken up paper/cardboard egg cartons, and even some takeout containers can be put in our compost bin. We even found kitty litter that is made from coconut shells that is compostable (however, please do not put animal waste in your compost).
In our house, recycling and composting is a family affair. Before the pandemic, our house had friends of my boys in it virtually every day. I have to admit that I beamed with motherly pride when I would hear my son remind his friend to not throw away a banana peel because it had to be composted. They will pull soda cans out of the garbage if a friend accidentally throws one away. Getting the kids involved now will hopefully make it a lifelong habit for them.