Bay's recycling rate jumps 10 percentage points in one year

Bay residents Julia and James Krieg show their dad, Dan, how to properly recycle cardboard.

View Image Gallery

According to a recent report by the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, Bay Village's residential recycling rate was 57 percent in 2011, up from 47 percent in 2010!

In May 2011, Bay Village introduced a new recycle and compost program through Republic Services with expanded capabilities. In the year ended June 2012, Republic Services reported that landfill trash was down 37 percent, or 2,850 tons, when compared to the year ended June 2011.

Here are some of the highlights of the new program:

Bay now has what is known as “Single Stream Recycling” where all types of paper, bottles, cans and cardboard can be placed in one bin.

Bay’s yard waste now goes to Kurtz Brothers in Avon to be made into compost. The yard waste must be in a brown paper bag or in a waste container that is clearly marked “yard waste.”

Bay has what is called Automated Trash Pick Up. This means the trash and recycle containers are picked up by trucks with automated arms designed to lift the container and dump its contents into the truck. For this reason, it is important to keep the containers at least three feet apart.

Bay residents: Let’s work together to further increase our recycle rate! 

Here are some tips to remember:

• Cardboard must be in the green container to be recycled.
  • Any cardboard left on the tree lawn is considered Bulk Pick Up and will only be picked up on Friday of the first full week of the month. Bulk Pick Up goes to the landfill and is not recycled.
  • If you have a lot of cardboard, another great way to recycle it is to drop it off at St. Raphael’s Church on Dover Center Road – the green and yellow Abitibi paper bins in the back parking lot accept cardboard. St. Raphael’s appreciates the drop off, but asks that you please flatten your cardboard before placing it in the Abitibi bin. If bins are overflowing, please do not leave the cardboard on the side of the bin.
• Yard waste must be in a brown paper yard waste bag or in a container clearly marked “yard waste only.”
  • Yard Waste Only stickers can be purchased for $2 from City Hall.
  • Yard waste is picked up April 15-Dec. 15 of each year.
• Make sure to recycle ALL of your paper, cardboard, bottles and cans in the Green Container.
  • This includes mail, office paper, shredded paper, newspaper, magazines, phone books, cardboard such as cereal or tissue boxes, and corrugated cardboard.
  • This includes all aluminum or metal cans, plastic or glass bottles, and plastic containers labeled No. 1 and 2.
• Donate usable items to a deserving charity such as Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, or the Cleveland Furniture Bank.
  • Please do not leave usable items on the tree lawn for bulk pick up – they will end up in the landfill!

Bay’s recycle rate of 57 percent compares very favorably to an average recycle rate of 30 percent in the 59 cities within Cuyahoga County and places Bay 10th on the list of cities with the highest recycling rates. The highest recycling rate in 2011 was Pepper Pike with 71 percent. Westlake came in above the county average at 32.7 percent. More details can be found in the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District's 2011 Residential Recycling Report, available on the district's website (under Publications).