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County committee backs forwarding 2026–2040 solid waste plan for ratification
Summary
The committee heard a presentation on the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District’s 2026–2040 plan update, including new programming, a continued $2-per-ton generation fee, a $3 million-plus fund balance, and a ratification window requiring 60% of district population approval by Aug. 10.
The Cuyahoga County Education and Environment Sustainability Committee on Tuesday heard a detailed presentation on the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District’s required 2026–2040 solid waste management plan and voted to send the plan forward for consideration by the full Council.
Beth Biggins Ramer, executive director of the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, told the committee the district — a separate political subdivision covering Cuyahoga County and a portion of Geauga County — had completed the statutory update and was seeking approval to begin the required ratification process. “We are our own separate political subdivision, which covers all of Cuyahoga County, plus a small part of Geauga County, Hunting Valley,” Ramer said.
Ramer summarized the plan’s scope and timeline: the district must meet 10 statutory goals, demonstrate outreach and education programming, assure landfill capacity and a funding mechanism for the 15-year planning period, and then update the plan every five years. Ramer said the plan uses 2022 as its base year, required 13 separate analyses for the Ohio EPA review, and that the EPA returned the draft with “no significant comments,” allowing the district to open a mandatory 30-day public comment period and follow with ratification outreach.
Key changes described in the presentation include expansion of grant programs and allowable uses, investigation of organics and yard-waste consortiums, development of “super drop-off” sites for hard-to-handle materials such as bulky cardboard and organics, and a review of textile diversion and end markets. Ramer said core programs such as household hazardous waste collection, an Environmental Crimes Task Force, and business waste audits will continue.
Ramer reiterated that the district will maintain its generation fee at $2 per ton for disposed waste — the district’s chosen funding mechanism because it has no local landfill — and that the district plans to draw down part of a fund balance it reported as “over $3,000,000” to seed new programming. “We will continue at our $2 generation fee through our projections that go all the way through 2040,” she said.
On process, Ramer explained the ratification window runs May 10 through Aug. 10; the district must obtain yes votes representing at least 60% of the district population, including the City of Cleveland, to achieve ratification. She told the committee nine communities had already passed supportive resolutions and that the district was at about 25% of the population toward the 60% target.
Council members asked about Cleveland’s timeline and outreach to small businesses. Council President Miller urged staff to watch Cleveland’s calendar closely to meet the Aug. 10 deadline; Ramer said staff were working to schedule a committee appearance in Cleveland in early June. Councilman Purnell Jones asked about business outreach; Ramer said a business coordinator performs waste audits and works with smaller companies to identify recycling opportunities that can lower net costs.
The committee approved a motion to move the resolution forward to the full Council for second reading.
What happens next: the plan will be forwarded to the full Cuyahoga County Council for additional readings and, if adopted, the district will proceed with the formal 90-day ratification process with the county’s 59 political subdivisions.
