Text Box: Smoke is Smoke (continued from page 2) the ozone produced may interact with harmless pine and citrus-scented cleaning products and certain other common household chemicals to produce unhealthy, harmful, or irritating chemical byproducts. The Bottom Line? The bottom line is that smoke is smoke and ozone is ozone. No matter what the source, these pollutants should be avoided. References: 1. US EPA. National Risk Management Research Labororatory. 2001. Candles and Incense As Potential Sources of Indoor Air Pollution: Market Analysis And Literature Review 2. US EPA. Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners. (only available online) <http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html > Text Box: page 3 Text Box: Text Box: Did you know...? Recycling aluminum requires 95% less energy and produces 95% fewer emissions producing a can from raw materials. 40 % of landfills are composed of discarded paper. Cincinnati’s tallest peak is Mt. Rumpke. Elevation: 1,075 feet

Recycling in the City

                                                                

The City of Cincinnati has pledged to do its part to stop global warming by signing on with the “Cool Cities” program.  Recycling helps our community reduce its “carbon footprint,”  the amount of CO2 that we release into the environment as a part of our daily lives.  Sadly, the City is once again toying with the idea of cutting curbside recycling from weekly to biweekly to save money.  ECO has sent a letter of support for maintaining weekly curbside collection and pressing for an active campaign to increase participation in the recycling program by City residents.  There are rebates and financial incentives offered for recycling so biweekly service would save the City about $312,000 by our calculations.  On the other hand, increasing weekly recycling from 9.5% to 10% would save the City an estimated $120,010 while still maintaining the current level of service to city residents. 

 

Recycling is important to our  economy.  A landmark study (1) by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources found that, “From the individuals who staff recycling centers to those who sort, crush, and make new products from recyclables, recycling supports 3,177 business establishments in the state, employing 98,302 people. Totally, these direct recycling activities pour $6 billion in payroll into Ohio’s economy each year… The average wage paid by Ohio’s recycling industry is $36,600.  The recycling industry’s average wage is $8,000 more than the State of Ohio’s average wage.”

 

Finally, there is the issue of garbage dumps.  Citizens of Colerain Township and Springfield Township have been burdened with the Rumpke landfill which produces particulate pollution, truck traffic, a bad odor, and is sprawling across the rural landscape.  Cincinnati can do its part to preserve this regional landfill space into the future by minimizing the burden on residents who live near “Mount Rumpke.”  

 

References:

 2001.  The National Recycling Coalition in association with R. W. Beck, Inc. Final Report. Ohio Recycling Economic Information Study. Prepared for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources

 

 

 
Text Box: Thanks to ECO Volunteer Gerry Kraus for supplying research on the City’s recycling program!