Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Recyles 140 Tons Of Trash

By Tom O’Konowitz

Cleveland, OH - Cleveland Metroparks Zoo made some major green by recycling more than 140 tons of stuff in 2008. The Zoo generated $12,860 last year by recycling materials ranging from cell phones to phonebooks.

Here are some of the highlights from the Zoo’s 2008 recycling program:
* Zoo visitors recycled 738 cell phones at the Zoo.
* Employees recycled 40 tons of paper, 39 tons of cardboard and nearly 7 tons of glass.
* The Zoo collected 25 tons of phonebooks for the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District’s Phone Book Recycling Program, which runs from June through September each year.
* 18 appliances, 183 tires, 2,503 fluorescent bulbs and 667 pounds of batteries were recycled by Zoo staff.
* Recycled metals at the Zoo included more than 3 tons of aluminum cans and 25 tons of copper, iron and steel.
* The Zoo recycled 1 ton of computer equipment and 803 inkjet and toner cartridges, many of which were dropped off by the public.
* 538 gallons of vehicle waste, including oil and antifreeze, were recycled at the Zoo.

The Zoo’s commitment to conservation is part of Cleveland Metroparks’ recycling program, which aims to minimize the ecological footprint on Northeast Ohio.  In 2008, the Zoo also started using a solar-powered golf cart to carry materials and instituted a policy to greatly reduce Zoo-vehicle traffic inside the Zoo.

The Zoo encourages members of the public to recycle select materials of their own at the Zoo, including paper, inkjet and toner cartridges, cell phones and the small, screw-in compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) that can be used to replace traditional incandescent bulbs.  From June through September only, phonebooks also can be recycled at the Zoo.

Also, look for your chances to order ZooPoo Compost -- made from recycled animal manure and bedding materials – in March and April for pick-up in May.

To learn more about the Zoo’s recycling program, visit clemetzoo.com or call (216) 661-6500.