THE ERIE COUNTY SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

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What is a Solid Waste District?

In 1988, when stories of abandoned hazardous waste dumps filled our newspapers and out-of-state garbage threatened to fill up Ohio landfills, the Ohio legislature decided to act to avoid a future waste disposal crisis in Ohio.

As a result, Ohio House Bill 592, the state's solid waste management law, was enacted. It requires Ohio's counties to take responsibility for planning adequate landfill capacity for their citizens and reducing the amount of trash disposed in landfills.

To do this, every county in Ohio is required to have a Solid Waste District, and a plan covering at least a fifteen year period, detailing how they will reduce the amount of solid waste disposed by their citizens and businesses.

Each District plan must contain specific programs for the reduction of:

The District's plan must be approved by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the cities, villages and townships located in the District. It is updated every five years with current information and new programs. Each year the District is required to report to the Ohio EPA the amount of progress made toward reaching the statewide goal of reducing or recycling at least 50% of the total waste generated in Ohio.

What does the District do for Erie County?

Since the approval of the District's first solid waste plan on January 1, 1994, the Erie County District has implemented a variety of recycling and waste reduction opportunities for Erie County citizens. Download the District's annual report (PDF, 850KB) to view a detailed description of the District's activities for 2008. 

How is the District funded?

Ohio law allows Solid Waste Districts to fund their recycling programs by collecting a fee on solid waste disposed in landfills and transfer stations. The law requires Ohio landfills and transfer stations to collect fees on behalf of Districts and remit the fees monthly to the appropriate Solid Waste District.

The Erie County Solid Waste District is funded by a $3 per ton generation fee that is charged on waste originating in Erie County. The fee is collected at any landfill or transfer station in Ohio where Erie County waste is taken. In 2007, the District collected $290,667 in fees on 106,979 tons of waste. The generation fee will increase to $4 per ton on January 1, 2008.

In order to fund educational programs and special waste reduction projects, the District also seeks out and applies for grant funds. The education and waste reduction activities of Waste Reduction Program are funded mainly by a Rural Recycling Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.

The District does not receive funding from the county general fund. Neither can District fees be used to support county activities. Fee revenue can only be spent on District activities.

Who can I contact for more information?

The Solid Waste District office can provide more information on waste reduction programs, as well as speakers, literature and information on Erie County recycling opportunities. Contact:

District Coordinator

Erie County Solid Waste District
P.O. Box 469,  554 River Road
Huron, OH  44839
419-433-7303   Fax 419-433-6214

Recycle@erie-county-ohio.net

The District Policy Committee is a seven-member committee responsible for the development of the District plan and programs. Representatives in 2009 include:

Patrick J. Shenigo, Erie County Commissioner
Robert England, Erie County Health Department Designee
Matthew D. Kline, City Manager, City of Sandusky
Linda P. Cornell, Citizen Representative
Andrew White, Public Representative
Janet E. Knittle, Township Representative
James A. Guerra, Waste Generator Representative

The District Board of Directors is responsible for implementing District waste reduction programs in accordance with the District Plan. By Ohio law, the Board consists of the Erie County Commissioners:

Thomas M. Ferrell, Jr.
Bill Monaghan

Pat Shenigo