Now through the end of November, you can drop off your old mattress and box spring for free at the SWACO Recycling Convenience Center (RCC) and rest easy knowing that it will be responsibly recycled instead of taking up space at the Franklin county landfill.
Mattresses are difficult to deal with at the landfill because they are hard to compact and they’re full of springs that can tangle in equipment. But they’re not readily recycled in many places. Fortunately, SWACO has begun this pilot program to study the feasibility of a long-term mattress recycling program.
All sizes of mattresses and materials are accepted (no waterbeds), but they must be dry and free of bedbugs, mold, blood, or other excessive staining. Rips, tears, and mild dirt or staining are okay. Click below for RCC address and hours, and to learn more.
Sustainable Summer Grilling
This time of year is perfect for weeknight grilling or backyard barbeques, and cooking outside can also help keep your house cooler because you’re not heating it up with your stove or oven. Here are some great sustainable summer grilling tips.
- Shop local to support your local farmer and cut down on packaging and transportation resources.
- Use propane or natural gas rather than charcoal to cut emissions.
- Ditch the plastic and serve your food on reusable tableware.
- Send leftovers home with guests in reusable containers.
- Make it easy for guests to recycle and compost with clearly-marked receptacles.
Click below for a delicious recipe from Save More Than Food to use up leftover corn on the cob.
New Food Scrap Options Bring Composting Downtown
If you’re a regular listener to SWACO’s waste and recycling education podcast, you’ve heard the big news already. Composting is coming downtown thanks to new food scrap drop-off bins at Columbus Commons. The new bins use sensor technology to signal when they’re full, collect data to measure impact, and use app access to keep it all clean. Best of all, it’s free to use and will allow downtown residents and visitors to compost more easily than ever before.
Check out the latest episode of WastED by clicking below or wherever you get your podcasts.
Upcoming Events
Recycle Right Webinar
Join SWACO August 12th at noon for a practical look at ways to prepare for the school year with waste reduction and reuse in mind. Rethink school supply shopping, refresh wardrobes by shopping secondhand, and make more sustainable choices when preparing for college. You’ll leave with practical tips to help reduce waste, save resources and start the school year on a more sustainable note. Click HERE for more information.
Free Landfill Tour
Did you know that you can tour the landfill? Join us on Saturday, September 12th for a fun and informative tour of the landfill to learn all about how SWACO safely manages all of our community’s waste, as well as some of the actions that you can take to help reduce your reliance on the landfill by reusing, recycling, and composting. This free tour takes about an hour and a half, and is open to any Franklin County resident. Click HERE for more information.
HHW Collection Events
If you’re like most folks, you’ve probably got a shelf in the garage or basement, or a stash under the sink of various hazardous chemicals and cleaning products, and it can be hard to know how to safely dispose of them. Fortunately, SWACO can help. Click below to learn about the permanent Household Hazardous Waste collection point in Columbus and our upcoming mobile HHW collection event at 3226 Kingston Ave in Grove City on Sept. 26th. Click HERE for more information.
