Environmental regulations prescribe proper techniques for the management of chemicals and waste materials produced by industrial and other facilities. The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) currently tracks 650 substances that industrial and other facilities manage through disposal or other releases, recycling, energy recovery, or treatment. These are substances which, if improperly managed, pose a health hazard. One hundred twelve Stark County facilities reported hazardous waste activities and 946 facilities report handling hazardous waste. Handling of toxic chemicals and hazardous waste has improved in Stark County. TRI data for covered Stark County facilities show an increase in the tons of releases and wastes that are being disposed of or recycled at approved waste handling facilities. Several local sites are involved in approved clean-ups. Two sites are on the Superfund National Priority List (NPL).
Most solid waste generated in Stark County is disposed of in three landfills, two located in Stark County and one in Tuscarawas County. However, the opportunity to recycle continues to broaden as the number of recycling locations increases and more consumer goods are packaged using recyclable plastics, metals, glass, and paper products. Curbside recycling started in Canton in 2008 with a high degree of participation. More locations are now accepting yard waste. Between 2001 and 2007, Stark County has reported an average annual increase in recycling of 4,200 tons annually, an overall increase of 440 percent. Despite these positive trends, the amount of recyclable material being collected annually represents less than 15 percent of the solid waste collected within Stark County.
Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Waste Management |
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