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Trash trophy inspires more trash talk

Fairfield city councilman Tim Meyers sits with Butler County's Solid Waste District Coordinator, Anne Fiehrer Flaig, in front of a statue titled

Staff photo by Nick Graham Fairfield city councilman Tim Meyers sits with Butler County's Solid Waste District Coordinator, Anne Fiehrer Flaig, in front of a statue titled "Stack It High" by artist Roscoe Wilson inside the Community Arts Center Monday, June 15, 2009 in Fairfield, Ohio. The statue was commissioned by the Butler County Recycling & Solid Waste District in recognition of Fairfield's outstanding achievement in residential recycling.

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By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer Updated 3:17 PM Tuesday, June 16, 2009

By year’s end, Fairfield Councilman Tim Meyers hopes the city wins the recycling triple crown in Butler County’s Recycle to Win Challenge.

The city came in second-place in the 2008 challenge to Oxford based on the percent of waste recycled (17.35 to 13.4 percent). But Fairfield recycled the most waste (1,958 tons) and was awarded the most incentive money ($33,290).

Meyers believes the city can top all three categories, and residents will be constantly reminded by the second-place trophy the city recently received. The trophy, entitled “Stack it High,” is in the lobby at the Community Arts Center on Wessel Drive.

“It’s odd, it’s different but I really like it. It brings out the essence of what recycling’s all about,” Meyers said of the more than 9-foot tall trophy. “When people walk in, people will say, ‘Wow. What is this?’ But it’s kind of a memory jogger to inspire people to put out their red bins.”

In the summer, Meyers said residents will be able to buy larger green totes. The councilman said there is no reason why the city can’t be second-to-none in recycling in 2009.

Through the first quarter of 2009, Fairfield remains second to Oxford in percent of waste recycled (21.77 to 16.35 percent), but Fairfield leads in total tons recycled (485.05 to 272.77 tons).

The City of Monroe rounds out the top three with 113.29 tons recycled representing 11.29 percent of recycled waste.

Anne Fiehrer Flaig, Butler County Recycling & Solid Waste District coordinator, said Fairfield has the highest recycling performance margin of any county community.

“Fairfield has been designated the ‘Most Valuable Player’ in the (2008) recycling contest as Fairfield has demonstrated the greatest upward movement in community recycling rate of all communities in Butler County,” Fiehrer Flaig said.

The city improved its recycling rate from 2007 to 2008 by 2.1 percent, a  20 percent recycling diversion increase.

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5112 or mpitman@coxohio.com.

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