Mayor says glass recycling an environmental, financial success in Akron, Ohio

The city of Akron, Ohio, launched a glass recycling drop-off program last September to address contamination in curbside recycling. After the program’s first year, Mayor Shammas Malik is calling the effort an environmental and financial success.

“I’m excited by the positive numbers we are seeing from our glass recycling drop-off program,” Malik says in a news release.

Officials are reporting 80 tons, or about 180,000 pounds, of glass were collected across its five drop-off locations, and the success of the program has prompted the addition of a sixth drop-off bin. The city says its glass recycling efforts have turned from a “costly expense” into a “revenue generator.”

“Instead of costing us over $3,600 to take these 80 tons to the landfill or spending $1,760 to have the glass processed at the material recovery facility, we are instead profiting $1,600 to send this glass to Ohio-based company O-I for processing and reuse,” Malik says.

“Separating glass recycling from the curbside bin reduces broken glass contamination from the single-stream curbside program and also enables us to more successfully recycle the glass itself.”

Glass no longer is accepted in curbside bins in Akron, rather, residents are encouraged to continue using the now six drop-off sites across the city.

Locations include:

• Akron’s Dog Park, 499 Memorial Parkway;
• Goodyear Heights Metro Park, 1950 Eastwood;
• Goodpark Golf Course, 530 Nome Ave.;
• Kenmore Community Center overflow lot, 880 Kenmore Blvd.;
• Joy Park Community Center, 825 Fuller St.; and
• Firestone Metro Park Little Turtle Pond Lot, 2620 Harrington Road.

“Akron residents have really supported the city’s efforts to recycle more glass, and they are using our drop off locations all the time,” says Casey Shevlin, director of sustainability and resiliency for the city of Akron. “We’re excited to continue this program in these new locations and look forward to growing our glass recycling efforts further in future.”