Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio

The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) was established by the Ohio General Assembly in 1989 as part of Ohio House Bill 592, which created Ohio’s current solid waste management planning and regulatory programs.[1][2] SWACO is a government-run entity responsible for the safe and sanitary management of all solid waste within its district.[3] In this role, it operates the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill, , as well as two transfer facilities, all for the benefit of Franklin County, Ohio, and parts of surrounding counties in central Ohio.[4]

Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio
Agency overview
FormedJune 6, 1989 (1989-06-06)
JurisdictionCentral Ohio
HeadquartersGrove City, Ohio
Agency executive
  • Joseph A. Lombardi, Executive Director
Websitewww.swaco.org

As one of Ohio’s 52 solid waste districts, SWACO’s primary goals established in Ohio House Bill 592 are to manage the municipal solid waste generated in central Ohio[5] and to reduce central Ohio’s reliance on the landfill by increasing efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle.[6] The central Ohio region’s diversion rate reached 50% in November 2019.[7]

Organization structure

SWACO is governed by a nine member board.[8] It derives its revenue primarily through fees levied on the disposal of solid waste at SWACO facilities and from the collection and sale of landfill gas to Aria Energy, which refines the gas, pumps it into the gas pipeline and sells it.[9][10]

Programs and services

In support of its goal to reduce Franklin County’s reliance on the landfill through reuse, reduction and recycling, SWACO offers programs and services for residents, businesses, schools, events and communities.

Community services
  • Negotiated rates for recycling and trash hauling services [11]
  • Grants for schools, nonprofits, government entities and events to offset the cost of recycling efforts[12]
  • Public education to educate consumers about the right ways to recycle[13]
  • Drop-off centers for recycling, household hazardous waste, electronic waste, pharmaceutical waste and other items that should be diverted from the landfill[14]
  • Yard waste compost services[15]

Community outreach

In 2018, SWACO created the Central Ohio Food Waste Initiative, a group of more than 60 public and private organizations developing an action plan to cut Central Ohio’s food waste in half by 2030. The action plan was released in the spring of 2019.[21]

Research

SWACO conducts and supports research to learn more about central Ohio’s waste stream and what can be done to recycle more and landfill less. A 2019 audit of 20,000 Columbus households found that about 75% of residents participate in recycling, but one in four put items in their recycling containers that are not accepted in Franklin County’s curbside recycling program.[22] Another study done regularly, the Waste Characterization Study, examines the garbage at the landfill to find out what people are throwing away and what could have been recycled.[23]

Waste management and diversion innovations

In 2016, SWACO began using auto shredder residue to cover the landfill each day. This is a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach than using dirt or soil.[24]

SWACO transforms landfill gasses into usable energy through its landfill gas collection system, which harnesses the landfill gas and transforms it into compressed natural gas for vehicle fuel and into pipeline-quality gas.[25]

SWACO has lessened the environmental impact of its vehicle fleet by using passenger vehicles, front load trucks and transfer trucks that run on compressed natural gas instead of petroleum-based fuels. In 2015 SWACO was designated as an Ohio Green Fleet through the Clean Fuel Ohio’s statewide Green Fleet program for its efforts.[26]

References
  1. "Energy Tax Policy and Tax Reform: Joint Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures and Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, First Session, September 22, 2011". Google Books. U.S. Government Printing Office. 2012. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  2. "House Bill 592" (PDF). Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. June 2017. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  3. "Energy Tax Policy and Tax Reform: Joint Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures and Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, First Session, September 22, 2011". Google Books. U.S. Government Printing Office. 2012. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  4. "Energy Tax Policy and Tax Reform: Joint Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures and Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, First Session, September 22, 2011". Google Books. U.S. Government Printing Office. 2012. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  5. "Energy Tax Policy and Tax Reform: Joint Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures and Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, First Session, September 22, 2011". Google Books. U.S. Government Printing Office. 2012. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  6. "House Bill 592" (PDF). Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. June 2017. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  7. "Central Ohio Recycling Rate Climbs to 50%". Waste 360. Waste 360. 15 Nov 2019. Retrieved 20 Nov 2019.
  8. "Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, 2018-2032, Solid Waste Management Plan". Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio. GT Environmental, Inc. February 28, 2018. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  9. "Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, 2018-2032, Solid Waste Management Plan". Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio. GT Environmental, Inc. February 28, 2018. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  10. Sam Gendren (April 22, 2015). "Franklin County Landfill Sells Methane Gas From Rotting Garbage". WOSU Public Media. WOSU Radio. Retrieved 20 Nov 2019.
  11. DeAnne Toto (April 6, 2018). "Central Ohio communities benefit from SWACO consortium program". Recycling Today. Recycling Today. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  12. Theresa Cottom (February 1, 2019). "SWACO awards grants". Recycling Today. Recycling Today. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  13. "Recycle Right". The City of Columbus. The City of Columbus. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  14. "Other Recycling Options". The City of Columbus. The City of Columbus. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  15. Susannah Elliott (April 26, 2016). "What happens to yard waste after it's left at the curb?". The Columbus Dispatch. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  16. Ty Marsh (March 10, 2019). "From Waste to Resources: SWACO takes mystery out of Franklin County's landfill". This Week Community News. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  17. "From Waste to Resources: SWACO takes mystery out of Franklin County's landfill". Columbus Zoo. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  18. 10 TV Web Staff (April 22, 2019). "New COSI exhibit aimed at teaching kids and parents how to properly recycle". 10 TV WBNS. 10 TV WBNS. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  19. "JA BizTown". Junior Achievement of Central Ohio. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  20. Tristan Navera (May 15, 2019). "Local schools, SWACO work to educate students, limit waste production in Franklin County". 10 TV WBNS. 10 TV WBNS. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  21. Ross Caruso (April 10, 2019). "Garbage out: As Columbus grows, SWACO rolls out plan to reduce food waste". Columbus Business First. Columbus Business First. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  22. Jim Fischer (August 3, 2017). "Recycling-bin audits help Columbus residents do it right". ThisWeek Community News. ThisWeek Community News. Retrieved 5 Dec 2019.
  23. Beth Burger (November 15, 2018). "Thursday is America Recycles Day. So what exactly can you recycle?". The Columbus Dispatch. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 5 Dec 2019.
  24. "Franklin County Sanitary Landfill, Franklin County, Alternative Daily Cover Material Approval". Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. March 11, 2016. Retrieved 16 Nov 2019.
  25. Sam Gendren (April 22, 2015). "Franklin County Landfill Sells Methane Gas From Rotting Garbage". WOSU Public Media. WOSU Radio. Retrieved 20 Nov 2019.
  26. "Clean Fuels Ohio has now certified and recognized 100 Ohio Green Fleets". Clean Fuels Ohio. Archived from the original on 2019-12-05. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
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