It’s A Community Effort
Delaware, Knox, Marion, Morrow
Joint Solid Waste Management District
2014
ANNUAL REPORT
Director’s Note
As the title of this years report suggests, the DKMM Solid Waste District relies on a
multitude of partners to accomplish the work we are tasked by the State to do. This
was more apparent in 2014 as we underwent a bit of change. My predecessor, Larry
Cooper, who served as the District Director beginning in 2010, retired at the end of
May. There was a time of transition where we leaned heavily on our partners to
assist in making the transition as smooth as possible. We truly appreciate all of the
wonderful partners that we are fortunate to have.
We are charged by the State to provide programs to keep solid waste out of landfills.
We work to accomplish this by funding the programs which are outlined on the following pages. One
program that is near and dear to me is our recycling drop-off program. This program provides clean, safe and
convenient locations for residents to recycle. We had 48 recycling locations in 2014 and were able to recycle
3,570 tons through this program. My goal in 2015 is to ensure we have adequate service at all of our sites to
eliminate overflow issues that our containers sometimes face.
Litter along road and water ways is a continuing struggle. In 2014 twenty litter clean-up events were held
calling to action 1,705 volunteers that collected well over 20 tons of trash. It is a community effort to keep
our counties clean and we couldn’t do it without the help of local residents. To those that donated their time,
we appreciate your commitment to keeping the DKMM counties beautiful!
By contracting with each Commissioners office for educational services, we were able to educate 1,559
students on waste management concepts through classroom and field trip activities. By educating our youth
we believe that the recycling message is taken home, encouraging more families to participate in the available
waste reduction programs.
I hope as you read this report you see that it truly is a community effort consisting of agencies, organizations,
businesses and local residents that work together to keep waste in its proper place. Whether it is a recycling
container, compost pile or trash can we all have a role to play as we make daily decisions about where our
waste ends up– please choose wisely.
Sincerely,
Please Contact Us
DKMM Solid Waste District
117 East High Street, Suite 257
Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050
P: 740-393-4600
F: 740-392-3298
www.dkmm.org
The District is funded by a $6.00 per ton contract fee on municipal solid waste generated within the District.
This fee is collected from designated landfills and transfer stations that have signed an agreement with the
District. DKMM’s contract fee is not a county tax but a legal fee collected by the District.
Due to the hard work of our partnering agencies District programs have benefited from an additional
$64,572.60 in funding from outside sources. These include the Environmental Protection Agency, area
Health Departments, local governments and several businesses and organizations. This additional funding is
not included in the charts below.
Income/Expense Summary
$337,635.96
$1,194,451.16 $4,423.00
$21,710.74
2014 DKMM REVENUE$1,558,220.86
LANDFILL FEES
TRANSFER STATION FEES
MISC. INCOME
REIMBURSEMENTS
$122,521.43 $31,008.78
$92,479.34
$234,000.00 $10,064.80
$7,696.69
$141,502.50 $74,714.91
$168,879.08
$363,584.27
2014 DKMM EXPENDITURES$1,246,451.80
SALARIES AND BENEFITS
ADMIN OVERHEAD & PROFESSIONALSERVICES
COMPOSTING ASSIST/YARD WASTE
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP & CONTINGENCY
GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
HEALTH DEPARTMENT ENFORCEMENT
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE EVENTS
RECYCLING ASSISTANCE GRANTS
RECYCLING DROP-OFF PROGRAM
District-Wide Waste Statistics This data was collected from the District landfill/transfer station reports, annual surveys of industry, business,
institutions, compost facilities , recyclers and waste haulers. This does not represent the total amount of
waste in the District. We do not report estimates from those not responding to the survey. Great care was
taken to eliminate all double counting of recycling tonnages.
Residential recycling efforts are included in the following table but are also broken down by municipality in
the following county specific pages.
2014 2013
Total Waste Generated 520,414 tons 452,313 tons
Diverted by Recycling 236,630 tons 190,309 tons
Diverted by Composting 24,708 tons 37,505 tons
Sent to Landfill 224,499 tons 259,076 tons
Diversion Rate 50.2% 50.4%
Special Collections Some items are hard to dispose of or need special handling to ensure they are disposed of in a safe and
environmentally friendly manner. The District funds and/or holds various events to provide residents with an
outlet for these materials.
The District held four Household Hazardous Waste, Tire and Electronic Collection Events. One event was held
in each county with a total cost of $74,715.
Corrosives
& Aerosols
Resins &
Adhesives
Solvents &
Oils
Assorted
Batteries Pesticides Mercury
2 tons 9 tons 6 tons 4 tons 7 tons .02 tons
Misc. Lab
Pack Propane
Fluorescent
Bulbs Gases Tires Electronics
.1 tons .4 tons .8 tons .1 tons 65 tons 40 tons
Composting Composting has kept 24,708 tons of waste out of our landfills and has turned it into a useable product. We
ensure that at least one compost site is available in each of our four counties. These sites are available for
residential yard waste disposal free of charge.
Enforcement & Monitoring via
Health Departments An important aspect to solid waste management is the oversight and enforcement of state and federal
regulations to ensure waste is being handled in a safe and nuisance-free manner. Improper storage and
disposal of solid waste is an ongoing battle in all four District counties. Sanitarians work with homeowners
and business owners to mitigate these health and safety issues. In some instances, the entire dwelling must
be torn down to fully remediate the situation.
Nuisance I
(multiple visits/ legal)
Nuisance II
(one re-inspection)
Nuisance III
(gained easy compliance)
Solid Waste Facility
Monitoring
Delaware 0 30 38 48
Knox 5 38 15 8
Marion 32 92 20 20
Morrow 17 51 16 27
Food Waste Yard Waste
Delaware 2,679 tons 10,057 tons
Knox 251 tons 1,667 tons
Marion 409 tons 7,007 tons
Morrow 83 tons 660 tons
Before
After
Recycling Assistance Grants DKMM funds projects that assist with the collection and processing of recyclable material and strengthen
markets for these materials. Any business, institution, political subdivision or non-profit located in the District
can apply. Although we reduced the amount of funding we could allot to our grant program in 2014 we had
seven great projects that were completed.
Apple Valley Property Owners
Association $5,323
Purchase of surveillance equipment near the District drop-off
recycling containers to deter illegal dumping and allow
documentation for prosecution
Marion County Agricultural
Society, Inc. $15,000
Purchase of Clear Stream Container kits to increase recycling
efforts to all events held at the fairgrounds
Mid-Ohio Sanitation &
Recycling LLC. $40,000
Purchase of ten 20-yard dual stream containers to expand
recycling opportunities to community facilities
Mount Vernon Middle School $1,817.50 Purchase of permanent recycling containers to improve
recycling efforts in their cafeteria and at sporting events
New Hope Industries, Inc. $20,457
Purchase of two larger shredders and two impact-resistant
tool steel cutters to expand document destruction services to
community facilities
Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation &
Corrections MCI $14,965
Purchase of additional equipment and containers to improve
efficiencies and security
Park Enterprise $60,000 Purchase of a Windrow Turner to increase operational
efficiencies for their Class II Composting operation
$157,562.50 Total Grand Dollars Awarded
Delaware County Every year the DKMM Solid Waste District asks the county recycling and litter prevention programs to
highlight something that they achieved in their community. This year the focus will be on the achievements
of the cities, villages and townships in Delaware County.
More and more of our political subdivisions have bid out service for trash and many
are now including recycling. Winning bids have varied throughout the county, based
on population and specific requirements that were expected of haulers. Overall, we
have seen our residents receiving services they need at prices they can afford. In
many cases, discounts for senior citizens and door side service have been negotiated
for those with disabilities. This is not something available to all individuals. Most
bulk items can be picked up at the curb by the hauler. With access to waste service,
expect to see a decrease in illegal dumping and illegal burning. Illegal dumping used
to mean trash being thrown in a ditch or field. These days illegal dumping can also
mean trash being thrown into a business, school dumpster or even a DKMM
recycling dumpster.
In 2012, Americans generated 251 million tons of trash and recycled 87 million tons of that trash. There is a
cost to recycling. Currently, the markets for materials are down, and the cost for processing recyclables has
increased. Even so, this should not be a deterrent to add or continue curbside recycling programs. We all
benefit from recycling because we are conserving the raw materials that are used to manufacture everything
we need in our lives. Recycling provides local jobs and requires less energy than manufacturing from raw
materials.
Today, we have two cities, Delaware and Powell, three villages,
Ashley, Galena and Sunbury, and four townships Genoa, Orange,
Liberty and Kingston that have provided their residents with both
trash and curbside recycling. Two more rural townships, Marlboro
and Porter, have made trash service available in their communities
with several more townships looking to get their residents better
service at better rates. We see a much greater participation in
recycling when curbside service is available.
This is an achievement of which our communities should most
certainly be proud!
Ashley Berlin Brown Genoa Harlem Kingston Liberty
(OLHS)
Liberty
(Wyandot)
53 144 58 178 94 30 433 237
Orange Porter Radnor Scioto Sunbury Troy Trenton
74 62 80 75 324 29 35
Delaware
Curbside
Powell
Curbside
Genoa
Curbside
Orange
Curbside
Kingston
Curbside
Galena
Curbside
Ashley
Curbside
1,416 1,005 2,144 1,530 Could not
obtain
Could not
obtain
Could not
obtain
Total residential recycling in Delaware County as reported to DKMM 8,001 Tons
Delaware County Recycling Weights (measured in tons)
Knox County In the spring of 2014, Linda Montgomery successfully achieved status as a Certified Environmental Educator. Shortly afterward, she began the huge task of selecting/creating lesson plans primarily focusing on environmental and solid waste activities appropriate for elementary education. The lesson plans have an approximate length of 40 minutes and strictly adhere to common core standard requirements for Science and/or Social Studies.
Eventually Linda came up with the idea to create an Environmental Education Booklet to hand out to teachers which listed: Grade, Subject, Topic, Content Statement, Activity, From Where the Activity was Obtained and the Objective of each activity. Teachers could then look through the booklet and see all the opportunities available to them. She also created large binders to hold every lesson plan, work sheets, a listing of needed supplies and if a poster or PowerPoint presentation was created to accompany it. This allowed her easy access to all pertinent information to answer any questions that teachers may have had and kept her always prepared to enter a classroom.
The Booklet did not go to press until February 2015 but was able to achieve success in the closing months of the school year. Whenever Linda entered a new classroom, she always began with a brief introduction about herself and then she would ask the students her favorite question: What does environmental science have to do with recycling? Linda was able to ask that question 14 times while making 30 presentations.
Recycling education is more than just the three R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; it’s about creating an attitude of appreciation and conservation of our world's natural resources.
Wiggin Street School
Berlin Brown Centerburg Danville Fredericktown Harrison
19 22 106 101 112 22
Howard Liberty Martinsburg Miller Monroe Pike
135 16 49 19 21 10
East Knox
School
Added May
Mt. Vernon
Curbside
Gambier
Curbside Total residential recycling in Knox County as reported
to DKMM 636 Tons 4 Could not obtain Could not obtain
Knox County Recycling Weights (measured in tons)
Marion County Marion County Recycling & Litter Prevention’s Annual Eco-Art Show is now approaching its sixth year. This
America Recycles Day event has grown from nineteen artists and crafters in 2010 to fifty-three in 2014. Over
800 people attended the 5th Annual America Recycles Day Eco-
Art Show at Marion’s Historic Palace Theatre last November.
Our goal is to reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled. Eco-art is
a creative way to do just that. Items that would have otherwise
been discarded were kept out of the landfill, while raising
awareness and supporting a green economy.
Vendors sold eco-art made from expired license plates, old
silverware, pallets, rags, car parts, worn out boots, outdated
hymnals, broken dishes, worn out toys, vintage phones,
shrunken wool sweaters, recycled liquor bottles, shotgun shells, burned out light bulbs, and so much more.
Plans are already underway for the show on Saturday, November 14, 2015 from 11am-6pm at The Marion
Palace.
Keep Ohio Beautiful will be honoring affiliates, youth groups, schools, civic and non-profit groups, businesses
and local communities in nine different categories at a statewide luncheon to honor environmental efforts
across the State of Ohio. Marion County’s Eco-Art Show has been chosen for the 2014 America Recycles Day
Award, presented by Ohio EPA on July 10th at the Keep Ohio Beautiful Annual Meeting.
ECO Center LLC was presented with Keep Ohio Beautiful Business & Industry Honors at the July luncheon.
Marion County Recycling & Litter Prevention, who nominated ECO Center for the award, partnered with them
and the Morrow County Recycling & Litter Prevention Office to celebrate Earth Week 2015.
It was an extraordinary environmental celebration. 1,600 people
attended, enjoying booths with maple syrup, children’s activities,
beekeeping, butterfly gardens, and recycled barrel train rides.
Nucor Steel sponsored a 5K Earth Day run in conjunction with a
shoe recycling collection, and visitors enjoyed live music and guest
speakers all day long. Marion County R&LP distributed tree
seedlings, a children’s author premiered her woodland elf book,
caterers donated food, and Morrow County R&LP sponsored an
eco-art contest. Onsite recycling was prominent, as befitting the
“Earth Day 24/7/365” theme.
Caledonia River Valley Green Camp LaRue New
Bloomington
49 122 35 41 17
Pleasant Prospect Ridgedale Waldo City of Marion
Curbside
153 49 71 38 855
Total residential recycling in Marion County as reported to DKMM 1,430 Tons
Marion County Recycling Weights (measured in tons)
Morrow County
Morrow County Recycling and Litter Prevention has a permanent activity called the Litter Trail at Headwaters
Education Center, 151 Home Road, Mt. Gilead, Ohio. The Headwaters Center is operated by the Morrow
County Soil & Water Conservation District and is open to the public. There are several beautiful walking paths
for area residents to enjoy. One path contains a Litter Trail that has 12 stations where items have been
purposefully littered. The items chosen for the Trail were
picked because they are items commonly found during
roadside cleanups.
The littered items are placed under a small metal basket
that is staked to the ground with a sign containing
information about the litter. This information includes how
it might impact the environment if it is not disposed of
properly and whether it is recyclable.
Items found along the trail include an aluminum can, a tire,
cigarette butts, cloth, fast food wrappers, paper, a steel
can, a plastic bottle, a glass jar and food scraps (made from
plastic), Styrofoam and a baby diaper.
In 2014 a total of 329 students participated in this learning experience and were surprised to learn that many
littered items will last hundreds of years in a landfill or along roadways but that a large portion of these items
can be easily recycled into new products. This is a powerful way to teach students why it is so important to
make sure their waste is disposed of properly.
Cardington Chesterville Franklin Fulton Highland Iberia
46 40 34 22 48 40
Johnsville Marengo Marengo
(part time) Northmor Westfield
73 62 12 56 22
Edison
Curbside
Mt. Gilead
Curbside
Cardington
Curbside Total residential recycling in Morrow County as
reported to DKMM 709 Tons 10 215 29
Morrow County Recycling Weights (measured in tons)
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