Happy Holidays From SWACO
As the year draws to a close, it’s a pleasure to be able to let you know about some of the resources SWACO has available for central Ohio businesses and to highlight some of our partners in the business community that are making big strides in sustainability.
Sixty-percent of the waste that comes to the Franklin County Landfill is from the commercial sector, so working with local businesses is a big part of our diversion efforts. One of our partners, Worthington Enterprises, supercharged its recycling and compost programs this year as the first ever Recycling and Food Waste Champion business in Franklin County. Click HERE to hear about this business’s experience with our Champions programs and about just how easy we can make it for you and your business.
As you wrap up your operations for the year and get 2026 kicked off, I hope that you’ll think of SWACO as your partner in sustainability and rely on us for the expertise and resources you need to meet your business’s sustainability goals. Happy New Year!
–Joe Lombardi, Executive Director of SWACO
Seasonal Savings For Your Budget And The Planet
Is your business planning a holiday or end-of-year office party? You can reduce your waste and your budget by making a few sustainable changes to the the celebration this year.
Plan a low-waste party. Use reusable dishware or compostable products to serve food. Be sure to place clearly labeled compost and recycling bins in convenient locations so staff can sort out their waste correctly.
Give experiences, not waste. Show appreciation and create memories with experience-based gifts instead of creating unnecessary waste. Treat your team to a local event or restaurant outing, or for something super personal, DIY gifts using recycled or repurposed materials are thoughtful and sustainable options.
Keep a wrap on waste. Reduce costs and cut down on single-use wrapping paper for gifts this year. Try recycled newspapers or reusable gift bags to wrap gifts. You can also skip traditional paper greeting cards and send E-cards to your staff.
Share sustainable resources with your team. Let you staff know about SWACO’s Green Holiday Guide so they can cut waste at home this year too.
Why You Should Care About Compost
Did you know that about 27% of what comes to the Franklin County Landfill is compostable? SWACO’s Food Waste initiative, Save More Than Food, offers resources to help your business reduce food waste and become a Food Waste Champion!
Why Does Compost Matter?
Food waste that lands in the landfill creates methane, a greenhouse gas. Composting can turn your food scraps into rich, nutrient soil. Sorting out your food scraps can reduce your trash volume and can potentially lower your disposal costs. Customers and employees increasingly value eco-friendly operations. Composting shows your commitment to sustainability!
Ready To Start?
Download a free workplace composting guide here or click here to learn how SWACO can help you become a Food Waste Champion.
| Number of Business Recycling Champions and Food Waste Champions to date: | 17 |
| Tons of waste accepted at the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill so far in 2025: | 1,153,847 |
| Percentage of material coming to the landfill that is plastic: | 16% |
Check Out The Latest Episode Of The WastED Podcast
WasteED is a waste and recycling education podcast from SWACO. Hosted monthly by Joe Lombardi and Hanna Greer-Brown, our guests offer insights into regional efforts helping to push sustainability forward as well as sharing their perspectives on the next big GREEN thing for central Ohio.
The latest episode of WastED features Joe and Hanna chatting with Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther about the City of Columbus’ climate action targets, how SWACO and the city are working together to help residents waste less while strengthening our local economy, and why most recyclables collected here stay right here in Ohio.
Click here to listen today or find it wherever you get your podcasts. You don’t want to miss this one.
