Columbus Archives - Frog Hauling

Columbus Recycling Resources and Laws

Written by Frog Hauling on March 5, 2021. Posted in Central Ohio, Columbus, Dumpster Blog, Junk Removal, Recycling Columbus, Waste Management. No Comments on Columbus Recycling Resources and Laws

Since 2012, Columbus’s recycling program has made a significant impact on preventing recyclable or reusable materials from reaching the landfill, but that’s not to say it hasn’t come with its own set of challenges. In fact, there is an industry-wide problem that’s been wreaking havoc on how we prevent waste. That being said, you’ll be glad to know that there are very easy, small adjustments we as Columbus citizens can make to ensure we aren’t adding to the problem.

Tackling the Trash Problem In Columbus Recycling Facilities

Diverting up to nearly 4,800 tons of recyclable material from the landfill in a single year, RecyColumbus extends beyond the limits of I-270, a notably sized program. So you can imagine that, although there are convenient guidelines available through the program, the program is met with an overwhelming amount of non-collectable items and non-recyclable trash ending up in recycling bins.

Not only does this make the entire system less efficient, it also causes recycling center equipment to jam up or break down. Plastic bags, wires, hoses and the like can work their way through belts and into joints of machinery, resulting in major damage while the addition of broken glass and flammable containers also can present a danger to employees having to pick out inappropriate items by hand.

Contaminated materials and unwashed food containers present several other problems. Greasy pizza boxes, unwashed sour cream containers, and more can attract pests and rodents as well as cause unsanitary working conditions while spoiling the remaining load of materials, causing the materials to be rejected by the recycling facility.

When these contaminated items are rejected they have to be shipped to the landfill, creating an additional environmental impact by doubling the shipment it would have taken if the items were disposed of properly, from the start.

Best Ways to Recycle in Columbus OH

columbus ohio recycling rules laws drop off locations

Know the rules, what items can be recycled and how to handle them
Stay updated on changes to these rules
Prepare and clean materials correctly
Reduce and reuse in addition to recycling
Do not place items in plastic bags unless by specific instruction by area guidelines
Remove non-recyclable parts of items such as lids, wrappers, and other packaging
Know your area’s drop off locations for materials that are not handled, such as hazardous waste, E-waste, appliances, etc. (more on this, below)

Columbus Ohio Recycling Rules and Laws

Recycling laws vary for every city. But as for Columbus, everyone who is serviced by city trash with a 90 or 300 gallon container also receives free recycling collection. Those who live in a complex or who have otherwise opted out of the program can use SWACO.

For those receiving free collection, recyclables do not need to be sorted – all recyclable materials simply go in the blue cart together, though free of debris or food contamination. In Columbus, any lids, labels, and caps can remain on containers, however our area’s recycling program can only take plastics such as jugs or bottles, so no take-out containers or sour cream containers. Here are some easy-to-follow guidelines, as per the City of Columbus website.

Accepted Recycling Items in Columbus:

Plastic jugs or bottles
Steel and aluminum cans with lids
Newspaper, magazines, paper mail, dry food boxes, telephone books
Glass jars and bottles
Drink cartons and boxes from milk and juice
Flattened pizza boxes (free of grease)
Flattened cardboard boxes
Shredded paper contained in a clear plastic bag
Items Not Accepted by Columbus Recycling:
Regular garbage
Yard waste
Garbage bags or plastic bags
Food
Plastic shopping bags
Styrofoam
Needles, syringes, and sharp objects
Electronics or light bulbs
Mirrors or window glass
Ceramics
Plastic buckets
Hazardous materials such as batteries, motor oil, cleaning products, chemicals, pesticides, and gasoline

Drop Off Locations for Recycling and Non-Recyclable Materials

Using another service or need a place to drop off your non-recyclables in the area? Find a drop-off site near you for just about anything from recyclables, to hazardous waste, appliances and yard waste with this convenient search tool from SWACO. They’ve made it incredibly simple and comprehensive for you to just select the category of material and discover various options by organized listings or map.

Looking to get rid of a lot of junk in Columbus?

Contact Frog Hauling today by filling out our form or calling (614) 258-3764!

Columbus Upcycling Businesses

Written by Frog Hauling on February 15, 2019. Posted in Central Ohio, Columbus, Green Business, Recycling Columbus, Waste Management. No Comments on Columbus Upcycling Businesses

Businesses of Columbus Upcycling

Finding new ideas and businesses in the way of sustainability is always a pleasure. Of course, you get even more bonus points when it’s cool, fun, and local! Here are three awesome examples of creative upcycling in Columbus businesses.

Glean

Creative, conscious, sustainable and funky are all words that have beed used to describe the space at Short North’s Glean, which prides themselves as the first shop in Columbus, Ohio to sell handcrafted local goods from repurposed materials. Glean celebrates the way people upcycle, providing alternatives for eco-conscious shoppers.

While some items are displayed on their website, it’s their facebook page that really shines for current items, where you’ll find upcycled brass, wood, and leather made into cool art, gifts, home goods, jewelry items, and more such as:

Messenger bags made from motorcycle seats
Stylized coasters made from 200-year-old reclaimed barn wood
Old soup cans transformed into Andy Warhol commemorative candles
Plus really cool lanterns made from refinished world globes!
This year, Glean will be focusing on products that help their customers live more sustainable lives with affordable products with the help of a local seamstress specialized in reusable products made from recycled materials. How awesome is that for Columbus upcycling?

Golden Hobby Shop

The Golden Hobby Shop is non-profit consignment shop for handcrafted items, unique gifts, decor, and accessories. But what really makes it a point of interest is its history with the community and local seniors.

Founded by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department in 1971 as an outlet for Columbus senior citizens, The Golden Hobby Shop still thrives to this day under this model – A feat we can thank its dedicated volunteers for!

Know any crafty 50+ seniors in Franklin or nearby counties who’d like to become a consignor? Anyone in that demographic can do so AND add to the awesome Columbus upcycling world by a simple phone call – check it out on their webpage.

Candles With A Cause

One more noteworthy Columbus upcycling business is Candles With A Cause who turn post-consumer glass bottles into small-batch, handcrafted candles.

Each of their candles is made from an upcycled bottle, longer-burning soy wax, and natural fiber packaging, but what people seem drawn to the most is the aromatherapy of the esential oils with unique fragrances such as grapefruit cedarwood, magnolia teakwood, and driftwood fig.

Micro-Mobility and Sustainable Transportation In Columbus

Written by Frog Hauling on August 15, 2018. Posted in Central Ohio, Clean Up Columbus OH, Columbus, Green Business. No Comments on Micro-Mobility and Sustainable Transportation In Columbus

With worldwide influences such as urbanization, rideshare services, and the growing momentum of electric vehicles, sustainable transportation options are expanding more than ever across the country… And Columbus is no exception.

No longer limited to services such as Lyft and Uber, auto tech is preparing to meet the reality of urban design and travel. As the majority of the trips we take in urban areas prove to be less than a few miles, the shared mobility industry is turning to lighter ware. Bikes and scooters are gaining popularity and rideshare services are looking to provide more sustainable transportation in Columbus than ever.

Sustainable Transportation in Columbus

Despite some controversy over safety, laws, and regulation of the mobility devices, these scooters and bikes can be seen in and around Columbus neighborhoods such as Downtown, Short North, and Bexley.

With school resuming next week at Ohio State, students have more options than ever for zipping around between classes with the options of environmentally-friendly rental scooters on the main campus.

In addition to Lime, California-based company Bird has also thrown its hat into Columbus’ micro-mobility ring, offering their own brand of electronic scooter sharing service.

Columbus Micro-Mobility Services

Lime

Lime-S offers an electric scooter rental platform designed to "give riders a safe, effortless experience," while providing upfront instructionals on proper parking and safety etiquette. With the app, you find nearby motorized scooters to unlock for $1 and rent at $0.15/min.

20+ mile maximum range
14.8 mph maximum speed
$1/unlock + $0.15/min to ride
250-watt motor

Along with its rollout on OSU campus, Lime has also announced its products will now be available to rent without smartphone along with discounts on every ride, via a partnership with PayNearMe.

Bird

Bird Scooters Columbus Ohio provides a very similar app-based platform of finding and unlocking electric motorized scooters, along with communicating safety to riders, including:

Riders are required to upload a driver’s license
Riders must be 18+
Saftey instructions are displayed on the app, directly on each scooter, and a fully illustrated safety section on their website.
Urging riders to wear a helmet, including having reportedly distributed nearly 40,000 free helmets

Bird has also announced a Save Our Sidewalks program:

All vehicles will be retrieved from city streets every night so as not to clutter neighborhoods.
All vehicles will be used an average of three times per day, or they will be culled to avoid clutter.
Bird will donate $1 per vehicle per day to each city to promote bike lane infrastructure and safe riding.

A spokesperson for Bird expressed their excitement in providing affordable, environmentally friendly transportation to Columbus communities.

Safety and Micro-Mobility In Columbus

Although some concerns loom amongst the public about whether the rental services, their users, or individual cities can establish accountability, spokespeople from Lime, Bird and the Columbus’ Department of Public Service have all expressed optimism in working together to ensure public rights, particularly with Lime noting regard to safety at Ohio State.

Multiple Columbus officials have expressed that there have been no serious incidents with the rental scooters. While there are no current laws specific to handling this form of transport, it would be nice if we can continue to provide more options for sustainable transportation in Columbus.

Maybe it’s just an adjustment period. There were days where even automobiles lacked safety standards. Scooters that don’t require racking can find new solutions to reduce or prevent clutter.

One thing seems to remain certain. With micro-mobility’s ever-growing popularity and competitive trends going in the same intense direction as Uber and Lyft, it seems micro mobility is here to stay.

Columbus Business Spotlight: Columbus Architectural Salvage

Written by Frog Hauling on June 13, 2018. Posted in Central Ohio, Columbus, Dumpster Blog, Green Business, Junk Removal. No Comments on Columbus Business Spotlight: Columbus Architectural Salvage

Working in Columbus’s junk removal industry, you come across some interesting things. Sometimes, when a home or business is clearing out unwanted items from a building, some truly undiscardable artifacts are discovered.

Architectural and decor items that are unwanted, yet highly sought after. Hard-to-find, yet evidently ubiquitous. Local business, Columbus Architectural Salvage can tell you all about it!

Columbus Vintage Home Items

In Columbus, beautiful antique and vintage home decor items can be rare, yet all around us. A homeowner switches out their old furniture or cabinets. A remodeling company removes old fixtures or architectural features.

Historic, coveted, small and large household items are freeing up all the time, esoterically scattered all throughout the community.

If all these nearly-discarded items are also so very much sought after, wouldn’t it be great if someone would just wrangle it all into one place for people to buy?

Columbus Architectural Salvage

The proprietor of Columbus Architectural Salvage, Chris Sauer knows this very well. Having worked as a self-employed carpenter, Sauer also served six years as the assistant historic preservation officer for the city of Columbus.

Sounds like he knows what he’s doing!

Old house parts, foundry molds, statues, tools, windows, doors, hardware, urns and planters, lighting, chandeliers and lamps, woodwork and metalwork…

At Columbus Architectural Salvage you can find 10,000 square feet of unique, reclaimed house items ranging from the 1840s to the mid-20th century.

Upcycled Home Antiques and Artifacts

All nicely organized, the home decor items at Columbus Architectural Salvage are diverted from landfills and ready for reuse in decorating, renovation, and construction.

The store’s sources are also mainly from within Ohio, making Columbus Architectural Salvage a great treasure trove for authentic Ohio heritage.

Check out the Columbus Architectural Salvage website for more info.

Volunteer for ComFest 2018

Written by Frog Hauling on April 30, 2018. Posted in Columbus, Volunteer. No Comments on Volunteer for ComFest 2018

The self-described “Party With A Purpose,” ComFest returns for its 46th year this June for three days of music, art, vendors, beer, wine, community organizations, and fun for all ages.

Commencing June 22, 23, and 24 at Goodale Park in the Victorian Village, the free yearly event is a celebration of Columbus Ohio’s community, organizations, artists, and performers

Columbus Community Festival

Established in 1972, ComFest is known as an event guided by its principles, including a focus on the collective good of all people, the right to basic necessities of life, inclusivity, and the environment.

A Program Guide to the event will be found on the official ComFest website.

if you haven’t guessed, ComFest is short for Columbus, Ohio’s Community Festival which was voted Best Yearly Event by 614 Magazine, dubbing ComFest a “bipartisan celebration of friendship, music, activism, art, dance, beer, and meat on a stick.”

Now, who can argue with that!?

ComFest And Columbus Community Involvement

Want to get involved with the community? Sign up to volunteer! As an environmentally-minded event, ComFest can use your help with clean up and recycling as well as other details such as food vending and libations, helping keep the event running without a hitch.

You can also choose to work year-round with other ComFest volunteers to help organize future ComFests and other Columbus events, in addition to distributing grants to programs and community organizations. ComFest is always looking for new ideas and talent.

Plogging Movement Making Its Way to Columbus

Written by Frog Hauling on March 12, 2018. Posted in Central Ohio, Clean Up Columbus OH, Columbus, Dumpster Blog, Volunteer, Waste Management. No Comments on Plogging Movement Making Its Way to Columbus

Columbus needs a plogging group. Rally everyone together on social media for a nice jog – I’ll bring the garbage bags!

What Is Plogging?

To explain, the word plogging is a portmanteau of the Swedish words "jogga" (jog) and "plocka" (pick up). Plogga! Combining fitness and litter removal, plogging is basically picking up litter outdoors while taking part in your choice of exercise.

Biking, hiking, pushing a stroller, canoeing, jogging… whatever the outdoor activity may be, plogging is equal parts exercise and community service. Across the world, plogging events are helping clean up literal tons of trash, keeping communities, trails, and walkways clean and beautiful.

Clean Up While Working Out

With 100 plogging events in just 6 months, the movement started in Sweden with a runner named Erik Ahlström who came up with the idea as a simple solution to address the unhealthy behavior of littering in society.

Now spreading across Europe, plogging is starting to officially pop up around the United States.

Get The Word Out About Plogging

Can we just take a moment to acknowledge that I’m blogging about plogging? Let’s engage people and get the plogging movement going in Columbus and write and document about it everywhere we can and get some events together!

Plogging founder Erik Ahlström recommends social media and plenty of photos.

Hashtag #plogga!

Want to start a plogging group? We’d love to share that information along!

Tell us about it on Our Facebook Page!

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