Calendar
Trash and/or Recycling Route Changes
On March 5, 2012 citizens may notice a change in their trash pick up day and/or a change in recycling collection week. For example, your…
The Great American Cleanup Expo will take place on Saturday, February 4 at City Hall. Whether you're new to the event or a veteran organizer,…
News
Our newest program, Sustainability In Action, is off to a good start. Aimed at helping schools reduce waste, energy, and water consumption through recycling, composting,…
On America Recycles Day, 2TRG collected more than 25,000 pounds of e-waste during our One Stop Drop event at Whole Foods. We also collected 150…
Recycling Information
Since our inception in 1978, KCB has been launching innovative programs to reduce the waste stream in Cincinnati. Over twenty years ago in 1989, KCB partnered with the City of Cincinnati to create what was at the time the largest curbside recycling program in the mid-west. Since then, we have continued to pioneer waste reduction initiatives and provide guidance to area schools, businesses, and residents. With the renewed emphasis on green initiatives, we have recognized that we need to not only reduce our waste, but reduce our impact on the environment through the reduction of other resources, such as energy, as well.
Residential Recycling
In the fall of 2010, the City took its recycling program to a new level by implementing an enhanced recycling program. All households that receive City of Cincinnati trash collection should have received a large, wheeled recycling cart. The enhanced recycling program also allows Cincinnati residents to participate in the Recyclebank program, in which residents can earn points for recycling. Recyclebank points can be redeemed for discounts at local and national retailers. Recycling collection will occur every other week. Visit the City's website for more information.
What Goes in the Green Cart?
Acceptable Items
- Plastic bottles & jugs with lids removed
- Clean pizza boxes (free of food and grease)
- Glass bottles & jars of any color
- Aluminum
- Steel and bi-metal cans
- Aerosol cans with the lids and tips removed
- Newspapers and inserts
- Paperboard (such as cereal boxes)
- Telephone books
- Magazines
- Mixed office paper
- Colored paper
- Envelopes
- Brown grocery bags
- Cardboard
- Junk mail
Unacceptable Items
- Plastic bags (take them back to your grocery store instead)
- Napkins
- Plastic food containers (such as butter tubs and yogurt containers)
- Styrofoam
- Paper plates
- Egg cartons
- Window glass, light bulbs, mirrors, drinking glasses
- Clothes hangers, pots or pans, scrap metal
Call the Hamilton County Recycling Hotline at (513) 946-7766 or visit the Hamilton County Recycling & Solid Waste District to learn how to recycle in your community.
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Cincinnati Residents
All of the drop-off locations below are single-stream, which means you can take your plastic, paper, aluminum, etc to one location. You don't have to separate any of it!
- Hartwell Kroger - 8241 Vine Street
- 250 William Howard Taft (containers located in rear parking lot, enter off of Highland)
- Dunham Park - 4320 Guerley Road (located in parking lot behind playground)
- North Avondale - 617 Clinton Springs
- Schmidt Field - 150 St. Peter (off of Eastern Avenue)
- Findlay Market - 1819 Race Street
- Downtown - Parking area located at W. Court Street and Cutter Street
- Downtown - Parking area located at McFarland & Central Avenue
- Downtown - The Hamilton County Public Library near the library book return at Ninth Street between Vine and Walnut
Hamilton County Residents
Visit the Hamilton County Recycling & Solid Waste District website for opportunities to recycle in the county.
There are also an extensive number of drop off locations throughout the tri-state area that accept paper only. These paper recycling drop off points generate income for schools, churches, and other not for profit organizations. To find one in your area, please visit Abitibi.
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Cincinnati Residents
Public Services will collect yard waste with regular trash, however residents are encouraged to compost or use drop off locations in Hamilton County. When setting yard waste out for curbside pickup, be sure to follow these guidelines:
- Bundle brush and branches no larger than 4' x 2'
- No tree limbs larger than 6" in diameter
- Put leaves and lawn clippings
in a bag or can
Yard waste and kitchen scraps make up almost 30% of the waste stream in Hamilton County. Please consider composting at home whenever possible. For example, grass clippings can be left on the lawn instead of bagged. For information on backyard composting, click here. (Keep in mind, plastic bags are not accepted at composting facilities.)
Hamilton County Drop Off Sites
Click here or call the Hamilton County Yard Waste Hotline at (513) 946-7755
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Paint
To dispose of water based paint, fill a plastic-lined box with cat litter or sawdust, pour the paint into the container, and let it dry before putting it in the garbage. Latex paint is not a hazardous waste and can be safely thrown away with your regular trash once it is in a solid form. Simply leave the lid off the paint and mix in sand, saw dust, or kitty litter to speed up the drying process. Once the paint is dry, leave the lid off when you dispose of the can with your regular trash so your waste hauler can see that the paint is dry. Reduce waste by only purchasing the volume of paint you will need.
Batteries
Click here to learn where and how to recycle your used batteries.
Other
The average home has 60 - 100 pounds of hazardous waste stored in the basement, garage, or under the sink. Improper storage or disposal can cause accidental poisonings and environmental damage. Visit the Hamilton County Recycling & Solid Waste District website for more information about proper disposal or call (513) 946-7700.
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Cell Phones
Support Keep America Beautiful by recycling your old cell phone! Visit the Cell Phone Roundup to print a prepaid shipping label for your old cell phone and cell phone accessories.
Did you know?
- The average lifespan of a wireless phone is 18 months.
- Phones are being discarded at a rate of 125 million phones a year, which results in over 65,000 tons of wireless waste.
- Cell phones often contain an ore called Coltan which is mined in endangered gorilla habitat in Africa.
- Recycling phones ensures that the toxic materials they contain don't end up in our landfills.
Recycle your old cell phone with the Cincinnati Zoo and save a gorilla! The Zoo is raising awareness and providing tools for conservation action in our community by sponsoring a cell phone recycling campaign. Funds raised will support the Zoo's Conservation Fund. Eco-Cell donates the phones for emergency purposes upon request. All unusuable cell phones are recycled under strict EPA guidelines by certified recyclers. Visit the Zoo's website for more information on how to answer the call!
Old Computers, Printers, TVs, and other E-waste
Hamilton County residents have several opportunities throughout the year to recycle e-waste through the Hamilton County Recycling & Solid Waste District. Visit their website for more information.
There are also several places across the tri-state to drop off old electronics, such as 2TRG in Blue Ash. For a list of recycling centers near you, click here.
Shoes
Bob Roncker's Running Spot (any location) will take your old shoes and use them for their recycling program.
Plastic Bags
Most grocery stores accept plastic bags for recycling. Check with your local retailer!
#5 Plastics
Check with a local Whole Foods Market as most of them collect number 5 plastics such as yogurt containers, butter tubs, and medicine bottles for recycling.
Can't find what you're looking for?
Visit Earth911.com. You can search for a recycling center for a specific item by zip code. The website also features a variety of articles, tips, and events on environmental issues from around the globe.
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