As a regional recycling leader, Rumpke was happy to take part in this year’s Solid Waste Association of North America’s (SWANA) Tri-State Conference, which brought city, county and business leaders from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to Columbus, Ohio.

Why gather in Columbus, you ask?

It’s quickly becoming a hub for green activity. The City of Columbus residential recycling program and OSU’s Zero Waste initiative have received overwhelming support and created a healthy boost in recyclables.

To top it all off, Rumpke’s newly renovated recycling facility reopened in August 2011 with equipment that can handle the recent influx of recyclables at 60,000 pounds per hour, which is double its pre-renovation speed.

SWANA conference attendees got to tour this facility on July 18 and were impressed by its accuracy and speed.

The following afternoon, Rumpke Recycling Director Steve Sargent presented information to the crowd about innovations in management of recyclables. Sargent has been in the recycling industry for more than 20 years and has positioned Rumpke as a leader and benchmark. 

His speech focused on an overarching point:

Rumpke built its Columbus recycling facility to meet the current and future needs of Central Ohio and surrounding regions.

“The facility’s programmable equipment is extremely precise, which helps us make the most of the recyclables we receive.” Sargent said. “It also means we can adjust our system to meet the recycling needs of the future.”

Once inside Rumpke’s Columbus recycling facility, recyclables are sorted quickly and accurately by type. Since the system is adjustable, Rumpke is able to maintain high quality standards and add new items as the recycling stream changes. The ability to grow with Central Ohio makes the facility sustainable and beneficial for years to come.

As his presentation came to an end, the room began to clap – an applause that Rumpke would like to extend to everyone taking part in local recycling programs. The success of the Columbus recycling facility would not be possible without your support and Rumpke continually works to make the most of your recyclables. Great green work, Central Ohio!

About the author: Taylor Greely is a corporate communications assistant at Rumpke.