In 2023, residents of Athens and Hocking Counties recycled 10,757,400 pounds of mixed recycling, 760,540 pounds of food waste, 18,120 pounds of e-waste, 201,080 pounds of scrap metal, and 104,300 pounds of miscellaneous recyclables at Athens Hocking Recycling (AHRC). In total, 11,841,440 pounds of waste was diverted from the landfill. The recycling AHRC collected was sold and turned into usable items, such as plastic lawn furniture, compost used by area farms, cardboard boxes, and aluminum for manufacturing.
In 2023, AHRC sent 28,051,582 pounds of waste to the landfill. According to the most recent US Environmental Protection Agency National Overview of Municipal Solid Waste Management report published in 2018, food is the largest component of landfilled waste, accounting for about 24%. Plastics accounted for over 18%, and paper products at around 12%. AHRC is committed to supporting residents in Athens and Hocking counties to divert even more waste from the landfill in 2024 and in years to come.
AHRC’s recycling sorting facility’s contamination rate of trash in the recycling is at 10% for 2023, a great deal under the national average of 18% to 20%. Some of the most common contaminants found at AHRC include plastic bags, which are recyclable at most grocery stores; clothing, which can be donated; and food scraps, which can be composted. AHRC is unable to process black plastics and styrofoam at this time.