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Hilliard environmental commission details Earth Day collections, polystyrene densifier and outreach plans
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Summary
Melissa Muth, chair of Hilliard’s Environmental Sustainability Commission, told council the commission’s Earth Day collections (polystyrene, electronics, paper shredding, household goods) have grown regionally; a new Ohio EPA‑funded densifier increased processing from ~16,000 to ~25,000 pounds last year and the compressed material is sold to a recycler for $0.04 per pound.
Melissa Muth, chair of the Environmental Sustainability Commission, told the Hilliard City Council on Feb. 23 that the commission’s Earth Day collection program has expanded into a regional operation and that the commission is pursuing broader outreach and partnerships.
"My name is Melissa Muth, and I am the chair of the Environmental Sustainability Commission," Muth said as she described a long‑running Earth Day event that now includes polystyrene (commonly called Styrofoam) collection, paper shredding, electronics recycling and household goods drop‑offs. She said the outside collections became so popular after COVID that the commission moved the operation to the fairgrounds and partnered with local organizations to manage traffic and staging.
Muth described two densifiers the commission has used to compact polystyrene. A Rooney densifier processed about 16,000 pounds in its last full year of operation (2024), she said, and a newer machine purchased with an Ohio EPA grant processed roughly 25,000 pounds last year and achieves a higher compression ratio. "So 90 pallets of fluffy styrofoam to 1," Muth said, describing the newer unit's greater efficiency. She added that the compressed blocks are sold to a company called Eco Development at about $0.04 per pound.
Muth credited local partners Black Ops and Rentec for collection and resale logistics and noted the commission’s interest in expanding Earth Day and replicating recycling successes at city parks and multifamily properties in collaboration with Miami University. She also said regional groups now share best practices through an informal network created at the Morpsey Summit on Sustainability.
Council members thanked Muth for the presentation and asked that the commission’s materials be distributed to council so members can review program details and consider future legislative or budgetary support.
The presentation highlighted how grant funding and local partnerships have changed the scale and economics of Hilliard’s recycling efforts and flagged potential next steps around park recycling, multifamily outreach and public engagement for future Earth Day events.
