Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub

ELECTRONICS AND UNIVERSAL WASTE RECYCLING -- 54.58 tons of electronics, including TVs, computers, fridges, freezers, audio equipment, cords, etc., sent for recycling; 7.95 tons of universal wastes, including lightbulbs, batteries, lighting ballasts, and capacitors sent for recycling. We collect electronics and universal wastes at drop-off events and during our regular business hours at our warehouse. We charge fees for all of these items, as we have to pay fees to the recyclers we ship these items to for processing. We collect these items because they are considered hard-to-recycle and because they have hazardous components (such as lead in CRT TVs, mercury in fluorescent light bulbs, etc.). The more items we can send for recycling, the more we keep those hazardous components out of people's homes and the environment.

TERRACYCLE RECYCLING -- 4.79 tons of plastic packaging and other items sent to Terracycle for recycling, including Kroger brand bag packaging, oral care items (i.e. toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, etc.) and packaging, deodorant packaging, Bimbo Bakeries bag packaging, Brita water filters and packaging, and many more items. We collect these "hard-to-recycle" items as a way to decrease the amount of plastic and other recyclable items sent to landfills and to increase the amounts of these items that are recycled annually. Terracycle is a for-profit company that partners with companies like Procter & Gamble, Kroger, and Colgate to help recycle the packaging from those companies' products. Terracycle pays organizations (like the Hub, schools, and scout troops) to collect the materials, whose shipping feesa are also paid by Terracycle.

BEYOND THE BIN RECYCLING AND REUSE -- 35.8 tons of post-consumer plastic (including film/bags and rigid #2-#7 and "no number" plastics) sent for recycling; 4.5 tons of Styrofoam sent for recycling; 7.9 tons of shoes sent for reuse and recycling; 9.8 tons of office/school supplies given away for reuse; 3.7 tons of garden items given away for reuse; 1.3 tons of tires sent for recycling; 0.75 tons of packing materials (bubble wrap, air pillows, etc.) given away for reuse; 1528 pounds of denim sent for recycling; and over 40 tons of other items sent for recycling or reuse. We collect these "hard-to-recycle" items to help other nonprofits better fulfill their missions, to keep reusable items out of the landfill, and to decrease the amount of resources (energy, water, etc.) needed to create new items. The fewer resources we need to create new items, the less greenhouse gases are created. This will help lessen the worst effects of climate change, which disproportionately affects communities of color in the US and around the world.

ZEROLANDFILL CINCINNATI -- 15.56 tons of ZeroLandfill materials were taken for reuse in 2023. The ZeroLandfill program collects items like carpet samples, fabric swatches, wallpaper books, etc. from architectural and design firms. These items are then available to artists, teachers, scout leaders, and the public to take for whatever use they may have, to keep the items out of the landfill.

Education programming (upcycled craft nights) and presentations about what we do at the Hub, how to use less resources, etc.

General program revenue and expenses (shared across multiple programs), including costs of transportation to pick up or deliver items for recycling and reuse, supplies, advertising, computer software and hardware (for instance, a hotspot to take payments at off-site locations), insurance for our vehicles, and wages for our warehouse workers.