Highland County Recycling Outreach Specialist Heidi Devine updated the Highland County Board of Commissioners on local recycling efforts, detailing promising results from a grant award and upcoming recycling events.
According to Devine, a 2016 Litter Management Grant awarded to the Highland County Commissioners and the Highland County Recycling and Litter Prevention Office by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency last year resulted in 440 volunteers picking up 843 bags of litter and 480 pounds of recyclables, improving at least 72 roads, 20 streets in city areas, five parks and other public areas.
Devine said in a release that the $2,250 grant, with a 10 percent match from the commissioners’ office, covered a period from July 2016 until 2017, and was dedicated to litter management and recycling. The grant was renewed for this year, according to Devine.
According to the release, funds were used to buy orange and blue trash bags, latex gloves and safety vests, as well as tote bags made out of recycled materials to promote recycling and reduce the use of plastic bags that eventually go into landfills.
Devine said an electronics collection event will be held Aug. 5 at Premier Grain in Leesburg from 8 a.m. until noon, and a tire collection event slated for Aug. 19 will be held at the Hillsboro Hi-Tech Center from 8 a.m. until noon.
The events are sponsored by the OEPA grant, the Highland County Recycling and Litter Prevention Office and the Ross, Pickaway, Highland, Fayette Solid Waste District, according to Devine.
Devine said her office is looking for volunteers to continue cleanup work. Those interested in participating with a group can contact Devine by email at [email protected] or by calling 937-509-2899.
Highland County Board of Commissioners President Shane Wilkin and commissioner Terry Britton thanked Devine for her efforts as outreach specialist.
“Well, the easier you make it, the more people recycle,” Devine said.
According to a separate release, recycling bins are placed around the county in the following locations:
HILLSBORO
Hillsboro Hi-Tech Center, 1575 N. High St.; CM Recycling, 131 Catherine St.; Board of Education office, 39 Willetsville Pk. at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and SR 124.
GREENFIELD
Sunoco, 950 N. Washington St. and 489 E. Main St.
LEESBURG
Premier Grain, 116 S. Fairfield St.
LYNCHBURG
Main Street near Bobbitt Street, close to Dollar General; Terry’s Grocery/Marathon Station, 1505 U.S. Route 50.
MARSHALL
Mini Mart/Marathon Station, 11070 SR 506 at SR 124.
MOWRYSTOWN
Old feed mill, 106 W. Main St.
NEW MARKET
Food Mart/gas station, 5828 W. New Market Rd. at U.S. Route 62.
ROCKY FORK AREA
Paint Township Building, 12470 U.S. 50
The following items can be placed in the recycling bins: Plastic bottles and jugs with bases larger than openings, glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans, steel cans and lids, office paper and envelopes, junk mail, newspapers and inserts, magazines, telephone books, catalogs, paperboard, cartons and cardboard. Flatten all boxes to save space in bins. Rumpke collects all the recyclables from the bins and sorts them at its facilities.
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.
