ASHLAND — The county’s solid waste district director is seeking state grant money to cover the cost of a scrap tire program and educational campaign.
Ashland County commissioners gave the green light to Jim Skora, the solid waste district director, to seek an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency grant totaling $45,000.
Skora said the Recycle Ohio grant would cover the cost of a scrap tire pick-up event. The event would accept heavy equipment tires, such as tires from tractors and other large farm vehicles and equipment.
He said the solid waste district would also like to start an educational campaign in which mailers would be send to county residents informing them of the existing recycling program.
County officials launched a recycling program last June and replaces the Ashland County Recycling Center, which shuttered in December 2020.
There are 15 recycling bins located throughout the county.
Dover-based Kimble Recycling & Disposal Inc. collects the materials weekly, as outlined in a five-year contract. The county pays $11,447 per month, using fees collected through the solid waste management district.
The mailers would be sent over a one-year period, Skora said.
“So we’d probably send them once a quarter. We want to communicate on how to properly use the program — what we accept, what we don’t accept. We’ll have general and specific details. They’re all on the website, but this will be more direct information to residents of Ashland County.”
The county launched a tire recycling program in October. Residents can drop off 10 tires at a time at two sites using vouchers available at five locations. It includes tires from cars, small trucks, bicycles, motorcycles and smaller tires from lawnmowers. Tires from commercial vehicles are not accepted.
Skora said the solid waste district will apply for $45,000 from the Ohio EPA grant. The grant requires a local match, bringing the total of the two projects to just over $60,000.
He said the Ohio EPA will make an announcement on awardees — the grant is competitive — in May or June, making start dates for the programs as soon as July 1.
