The volume of household hazardous waste handled at Summit County’s collection center dropped dramatically in 2012, reflecting two key changes from a year ago.
The center, at Graham Road and state Route 8 in Stow, was open for only three months this year, said Yolanda Walker, director of the Summit-Akron Solid Waste Management Authority, and more significantly, water-based latex paint was not accepted for the first time.
In 2012, the facility handled a total of 160,438 pounds of household wastes, spokeswoman Marcie Kress told the authority’s governing board Tuesday. That’s a drop of 70 percent from the 534,334 pounds collected in 2011. A total of 235,901 pounds of latex paint was collected and recycled last year.
The number of vehicles using the center dropped by 50 percent, from 6,260 in 2011 to 3,105 in 2012, Kress said.
Waste totals and participation have been sliding in recent years, as the district struggles with money problems and has made changes to the center’s operations.
In 2010, with a longer season, the center drew 8,087 vehicles and handled 695,557 pounds of household wastes. In 2008, it got 788,322 pounds of wastes from 10,259 vehicles.
The numerous changes at the center created “lots of variables” in the 2012 numbers, Walker said.
She said there was “no significant backlash” from the public over the decision to eliminate latex paint from materials to be recycled in order to reduce costs.
Such paint can safely be solidified and thrown out with household trash, she said.
Officials are starting to look at what changes might be made next year to the center and its operations, Walker said.
The authority paid about $235,000 to Veolia Environmental Services to operate the center, which was open Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday evenings from July 1 through Sept. 1.
In previous years, the center had been open from April through October.
Veolia processed the waste, and nearly 90 percent was recycled or turned into fuel.
The Stow center was the first permanent center for household hazardous waste in Ohio when it opened in 1996. It no longer accepts computers, televisions, electronics, cell phones or toner cartridges because of the high cost of recycling those items. The center does accept old tires from passenger cars and light trucks.
In other action, the governing board approved a $45,900 contract with Akron-based Public Design Co. to find a new name, logo and brand for the authority. The firm also will help improve the authority’s website.
That work is expected to take about 12 months, Walker said.
Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.