Residents take waste reduction into their own hands

It all started during the pandemic, when Ohio Living Llanfair, an assisted living facility in College Hill, switched from restaurant-style dining to no-contact meal delivery. As a result, residents used more disposable  forks, cups, and plates, resulting in large volumes of plastic being thrown away. A group of residents known as the Sustainable Living Team noticed this development and took action. They constructed a makeshift recycling room in the garage of the Belwood building, complete with a sorting station and labels to identify different types of recyclables. Now, residents recycle what they previously threw away, including plastic dining ware and beverage tanks, and resident Gene Gardner periodically hauls the items to the Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub.

Hamilton County ReSource recently delivered extra bins to Llanfair and received a tour of the recycling room by Jim Warner, founder of the Sustainable Living Team. The recycling sorting station is currently comprised of a table topped with cardboard cubbies for different kinds of plastic, as well as various boxes for aluminum, oral care items, and styrofoam. Jim, a retired architect with experience in sustainable design, has detailed plans for an improved station that would speed up the loading process, for which Hamilton County ReSource is providing partial funding. Jim is also excited about the replicability of Llanfair’s recycling room. He hopes to see other assisted living facilities adopt Llanfair’s methods and divert their own waste.

The residents of Ohio Living Llanfair possess a special determination and passion that has made their recycling program a wonderful success thus far. According to Llanfair, the community has delivered over 1,100 cubic feet of materials to the Hub as of March 2023, giving 48 residents an easy way to divert their waste. Llanfair serves as a prime example for what citizens can do when they collaborate to reduce waste!

Hamilton County Recycling ReSource plays a valuable role in the success of our partners’ success. Contributions include internships, recycling bins, education, grants, and much more. Below are the specific contributions we have provided to Llanfair’s waste reduction efforts.

Contact a ReSource Waste Consultant to get you on the right path today!