Columbus council member urges citywide recycling plan as landfill life nears 40 years

Christopher Wyche, a Columbus City Council member, said he is developing a multi-year plan to expand recycling citywide to give every resident access to curbside recycling.

The proposal comes as a speaker at the meeting warned that Franklin County has only one landfill and that recent changes have reduced its available capacity. "Franklin County only has 1 landfill, and just last year, Swayco completed the first cap closure, which sealed 1 section off forever," the speaker said, adding that projections estimate about 40 years of useful life remain and that area population growth will increase demand.

Wyche framed the recycling expansion as a way to extend the landfill’s life and reduce environmental impact. "Hi. I'm Columbus city council member, Christopher Wyche, and I want every resident of Columbus, regardless of where they live, to have the ability to recycle from home," he said. "That's why I'm working on a multi year plan to expand recycling citywide. Together, we can reduce waste, extend the life of our landfill, protect our environment, and support the circular economy. This is just 1 step to move Columbus forward towards a greener, cleaner future."

At the meeting, a commenter said current projections of landfill life were calculated using a smaller population and cited regional growth forecasts: "...a region that's projected to grow to 3,000,000 people in the next 25 years alone." The commenter also said more than three-quarters of current solid waste could be reused, recycled or composted but that many Columbus residents lack convenient recycling services.

The remarks in the transcript did not specify a timeline, budget, or the council process for adopting Wyche's plan. No ordinance, motion, vote, or formal council action on the proposal was recorded in the provided transcript.