Wendy Angel

Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio state legislature is considering budget legislation that would drastically reduce the state’s recycling budget by about a third. The $3.4 million reduction on a budget of $10.5 million could mean the elimination of recycling and litter prevention programs entirely in some rural counties. The legislation, House Bill 66, was approved by the Ohio House of Representatives last week and will now be considered by the Ohio Senate.

"Counties that have a landfill will still have money coming in from that earmarked for (recycling and litter control)," says Dawn Wittberg, Washington County Recycling and Litter Prevention program manager, to the Parkersburg News and Sentinel. "We don't have a landfill so we don't have these fees and rely solely on this funding. A cut like this is a frightening prospect."