Bonnie Martins, program manager for the Clark County Solid Waste District, and Chuck Bauer, the district director, presented the district's 2024 annual report at a Springfield City Commission work session and described enforcement, recycling and community-engagement programs.

The presentation summarized the district's mission to ensure Clark County residents and businesses have access to comprehensive solid-waste services, described the district's oversight and contracting arrangements, and reviewed program metrics from 2024. "Our mission, of course, is to ensure that all Clark County residents, have and businesses have access to comprehensive solid waste services," Martins said.

The report said the district's policy committee has seven members representing municipal governments, businesses and residents, and that updates to the district's 15-year plan are submitted to the Ohio EPA for approval every five years. Martins said the most recent plan update received approvals covering 94% of the county's political jurisdictions.

On enforcement and illegal dumping, the district said sheriff's deputies handled 341 calls in 2024 about items dumped along roads and in alleys, including tires and mattresses, an increase of about 40 calls from 2023. Deputies investigate and sometimes locate responsible parties; the district said prosecutions are difficult but deputies have returned bags to suspected dumpers in some cases. Deputies also oversee a crew of inmates doing community-service cleanups; the district reported the crew removed just over 1,000 bags of trash in 2024 and logged about 12,000 service hours.

The district described its specialty recycling offerings, which operate weekly on Thursdays and the first Saturday of each month, and six drop-off recycling locations for residents without curbside recycling. In 2024, the district said just over 3,200 residents used specialty drop-off events for items including electronics and household hazardous waste; many items carry small user fees to offset disposal and recycling costs.

Using Ohio EPA's 2023 data (the district reports EPA data one year behind), the district reported a 37.2% residential and commercial recycling diversion rate from landfills. The presentation emphasized the drop-off sites are for recyclables only, such as aluminum cans, bottles, cardboard, paper and accepted plastics, and encouraged residents to call the district with questions about specific plastics.

Education and community programs were highlighted. Sam Perrin, the district's education specialist, did classroom outreach, the report said, reaching more than 2,800 students in 21 Clark County schools in 2024 (up from 16 schools the previous year). The district also partners with Wittenberg University for internships, runs an annual Great American Cleanup from about March 20 to June 20, and supports downtown and neighborhood cleanups. The report noted a Rumpke donation that supported four container locations during the Great American Cleanup; downtown Springfield's spring cleanup drew 58 volunteers who collected 55 bags of litter in a core downtown area.

Newer programs described for 2024 include a business-focused cleanup effort in which district staff bring supplies and help collect litter near business corridors, a grant-funded densifier and collection stream for rigid white foam packaging (the district said the program accepts pre-shaped foam used for electronics and medical coolers, not building insulation), and a contract with CNS Tree Service to accept yard waste at no charge for small amounts via municipal drop-off.

The district also described a free cleanup trailer program stocked with tools, gloves, bags and vests that the district will deliver to neighborhood groups or businesses for weekend cleanups; the program requires a minimum of five adults and a deposit.

Commissioners thanked district staff for the work and asked clarifying questions about enforcement, volunteer coordination and the foam-recycling program. The commission voted 5-0 to conclude the informal session following the presentation; the vote was recorded in roll call as Commissioner Brown: yes; Dr. Estrop: yes; Commissioner Houston: yes; Commissioner Tackett: yes; Commissioner Rue: yes.

No formal policy or funding decision related to the district programs was made at the work session.