About the PORTAGE COUNTY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT - Portage county recycling

The Portage County Solid Waste District was established in 1989 in compliance with an Ohio law that required each county to form or join a District and take responsibility for providing recycling opportunities for their waste stream.

The Portage County Solid Waste Management Plan made a strong commitment to public ownership of a recycling processing center.  In response to this commitment, the District purchased a $2,200,000 recycling and transfer station located at 3588 Mogadore Road, Brimfield Township, Portage County, Ohio, to replace the former District Recycling Facility located on Marvin Street in the City of Kent.

Ohio law allows Solid Waste Districts to fund their recycling programs by collecting a fee on solid waste disposed in landfills and transfer stations. 

To help reach current recycling standards, Portage County Recycling uses single-stream curbside collection. All acceptable recyclables can be placed together in one 95 Gallon container. The single-stream method of recycling makes it easier and more convenient to recycle. Portage County Recycling uses five new automated trucks that allow the drivers to stay in the vehicle and use mechanical arms to collect the recyclables creating a safer, more efficient means of collecting recyclable materials. The automated trucks and single-stream collection have resulted in higher participation rates which, in turn, helps Portage County achieve diversion rates. 

The Portage County Solid Waste District opened a CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Material) in 2023. At the District, drop off is available for materials that cannot go in a curbside container. These items include appliances, electronics, scrap tires, automotive oil/antifreeze, scrap metal, batteries, cooking oil, plastic bags and document shredding services. CHaRM collection is on Mondays or Thursdays 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. and the first Monday of the month 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. (Excluding all federal holidays). This is open for all Portage County Residents to use.

The Portage County Solid Waste District hosts a Household Hazardous Waste collection (HHW) on the first Monday of every month from 2 P.M. to 5 p.m. (Excluding all federal holidays). During this collection, the District collects acids, adhesives, aerosol cans, fluorescent lights, fuel, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, household cleaners, mercury, oil-based paint, stain, thinners, pool chemicals and solvents. This program provides an option for Portage County residents to dispose of any hazardous waste safely. 

The District does not receive funding from the county general fund. It operates as an enterprise fund, which means it relies on its own revenue to cover operational costs.