Read the full story at Waste Dive.
Cleveland has joined the ranks of U.S. cities pursuing a more circular economy, via a multi-year program aimed at “designing waste and pollution out of our economic system, keeping products and materials in use as long as possible, protecting and regenerating natural systems, and creating new jobs.”
Backed by a $476,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Circular Cleveland initiative seeks development of a roadmap for a circular economy within 12 months, before spending approximately 18 months to implement it. Steps will include setting up a composting site at the indoor-outdoor West Side Market and supporting a series of projects through the Cleveland Climate Action Fund. Cleveland will also become an Ellen MacArthur Foundation Network Partner.
At the same time, Cleveland has still not restored citywide curbside recycling service. Recycling ceased early in 2020 after the existing contract ended and Cleveland did not secure a new contract, which city officials in part attributed to a high rate of contamination. It was subsequently revealed that recycling being picked up by the city was being taken to landfills.
