Ohio Judge Allows District to Ban outside Waste

Date: December 22, 2007

Source: News Room

An Ohio judge ruled that the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Solid Waste District has the power to exclude waste from outside counties, specifically Summit and Cuyahoga counties, if they fail to recycle as much waste as that of the district. Initially, the National Solid Waste management Association (NSWMA) filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of such a law. Ultimately Judge Richard D. Reinbold ruled in favor saying that the district was "within its rights" but delayed enactment of the rule from Jan. 1 until June 1, 2009. NSWMA general counsel David Biderman said the group was ''disappointed generally'' with the decision and considering an appeal.

There are many controversial aspects of the rule not the least of which is how and what constitutes a valid recycling number.

The three-county district took in about 3.5 million tons of trash in 2005: 900,000 tons from its three counties, 520,000 tons from out of state and 2 million tons from other Ohio counties.

Stark County hosts three of the four district landfills; the American Landfill in Sandy Township, the Countywide Recycling and Disposal Facility in Pike Township and the Mt. Eaton Landfill in Navarre. Tuscarawas hosts the Kimble Sanitary Landfill in Dover.

Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District: www.timetorecycle.org.

National Solid Waste management Association: www.nswma.org.

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