We recycle Glass Bottles, Paper, Plastic Bottles, Cans, Plastic Tubs and Food Waste
2026 Let this be the year that the entire UUCC community makes an effort to recycle most of the food waste generated by our community meals and other events.
Food waste collected, including meat, grease, bones and soiled paper napkins can be collected and taken out to the Rust Belt Riders bins in our parking lot. The code for these bins is taped to the wall by the coffee machine. Easy peezy!
Check out the paragraph below for more information about Rust Belt Riders.
Why do we Recycle
UUCC values and Respects the Interdependent Web of All Existence of Which We Are a Part. Recycling is one way we can express that value.
The reason why recycling is so important is that it prevents pollution, reduces the need to harvest new raw materials, saves energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, saves money, reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, and allows products to be used to their fullest extent. As UU’s most of us acknowledge this ideal. But the reality is that recycling is a “Market” and we can only recycle items that have a “Market”. So here at UUCC we do what we can. Ministry for Earth offers some recycling options for the congregation and for our nearby neighbors.
Recycling is good but its better to Reduce, and reuse.
Recycle Plastic Bottles and Cans inside our building:
You will find 5 recycle stations in convenient locations in our building. These bins are for plastic bottles, and cans, with a separate bin for paper in 4 of the recycle stations. There is a picture on 4 of the bins telling you what is acceptable. Plastic and paper cups are not recyclable, no matter what the manufacturer tells you. This is a “market issue”. Glass bottles and Paper can be recycled in our outdoor recycle center.
Recycle Plastic Tubs inside our building:
Save your plastic tubs and recycle them here. That would be your cottage cheese, yogurt and butter tubs. Most members of the congregation have recycle haulers that do not recycle these items. This is a limited market and we have found a hauler who wants this type of plastic. Bring your clean plastic tubs, and their lids and place them in the large blue recycle bin found in the east end of the 1st floor across from the Impact office. Do not put flower pots or other types of plastic in this bin.
Glass Bottle Recycle Bins in our Parking Lot:
Cullet Ohio (formerly Repeat Glass) offers a community glass drop off service at UUCC and other drop-off sites across Northeast to recycle glass free of charge. They have 3 bins located in the UUCC parking lot between the paper recycle bins and the Rust Belt Rider bins that collect food waste.
Check out Cullet Ohio’s Frequently asked questions for a complete listing about what they take and don’t take. They take most bottles and jars. They do not take crystal, mirrors, leaded glass or pyrex cookware. Make sure you check the label on the top of bin to confirm what they take. Before the pause in service UUCC was on track to recycle more than 13,000 pounds of glass in 2024.
Why recycle Glass in glass only bins rather than in my curbside recycle bin?
Glass in separated recycling bins can be made into new bottles and jars. Glass put in co-mingled, single stream recycle bins is often contaminated, Limiting its use in new bottles and jars. Often glass from curb side mixed recycling bins ends up in sidewalk filler, cement and roof coating.
For more information check out their website:
https://www.cullet.com/
Paper Recycling In our Parking lot:
River Valley has 2 Paper recycling bins in our parking lot. Any money collected by this program goes to our Ministry for Earth to support their programs which includes the church permaculture gardens and orchard. Due to low market prices for recycled paper the funds are very limited. This is a service that we offer to the community. These bins accept paper and flattened cardboard. Please do not put plastic bags in these bins. Shredded paper should be placed in paper bags so it doesn’t blow around.
Compost all your home food Waste with Rust Belt Riders In our Parking lot:
The Rust Belt Riders Neighborhood food-scrap drop off program , a fee based program, is available in the UUCC Parking Lot. Three Bins are in the Parking lot next to the paper recycle bins and and glass bins are available 24/7/365 for collection of household food-scraps. The church uses these bins at no charge.
Participation requires you to sign up online HERE. Rust Belt Riders Members are asked to pay $12 per month and may bring as many or as few food-scraps as are produced in their household. Rust Belt Riders recommends using a 5-gallon bucket lined with a BPI-Certified compostable bag or brown paper bag to collect your scraps in. you can drop off when it is convenient as often as you like. If you want a “special bucket” Rust Belt Riders buckets and bags can be purchased at any Phoenix Coffee Cafe, but any transport container that allows the scraps to breath will keep down bad odors and provide easy transport to the bins. Remember use only the acceptable compostable bags, paper bags or no bag. .
Upon signing up, participating members will receive a 4-digit code in their welcome email that can be used to open the padlocks securing the lid of the collection container.
Their program can collect all food-scraps and any BPI-Certified compostable product. This includes raw and cooked foods, animal products, and bones.
