Mayor's Community Council Recycling Challenge
This week, Mayor Mallory, the Office of Environmental Quality, Rumpke Recycling and Recyclebank celebrated a successful first year of Cincinnati’s enhanced recycling program and challenged community leaders to make the program even more successful next year.
“We had a great first year,” said Larry Falkin, director of the Office of Environmental Quality. “We were able to grow participation in the recycling program by nearly 75 percent, increase the amount of recyclables collected curbside by nearly 50 percent, and save the City nearly one million dollars through decreased landfill disposal costs and increased revenues from the sale of recyclables.”
During a press conference Monday, Mayor Mallory challenged Community Councils to help the city recycle even more next year, as he launched the Community Council Recycling Challenge.
Downloads:Registration Packet | Recycling Challenge Presentation
The challenge asks community leaders to compete against each other to encourage their neighbors to recycle and increase participation by 10 percent.
Each council that accepts the Mayor’s challenge will earn $100.
Each council that meets their 10 percent goal will earn an additional $250.
“There are also additional prize monies to be earned,” Mallory said. “Community councils can earn additional funding by signing neighbors up for the Recyclebank rewards program as well as help recovering unused and abused recycling carts. The three top performing communities will also earn a $1,000 grand prize.”
Mallory added that the prize money is being provided by Rumpke, and no City dollars are being spent on the program.
The Office of Environmental Quality is currently meeting with individual councils to encourage their participation in the contest and answer questions.
