Recycling Made Easier – SWACO’s Recycling Convenience Center

Jul 22, 2025

What is the Recycling Convenience Center?

SWACO’s Recycling Convenience Center is a location dedicated to housing recyclable material. The Recycling Convenience Center is for residents of Franklin County to safely dispose of their items. The Recycling Convenience Center exists to both store the recycled materials that Franklin County residents drop off and to set aside for SWACO to send off to partners. SWACO’s partners can reuse the material to create new items from the recycled objects. The symbiotic relationship between Franklin County residents and organizations makes the Recycling Convenience Center vital to the community.

So far, since opening in November of 2023, the Recycling Convenience Center has been able to help 3,667 people divert and recycle over 400,000 lbs (or over 200 tons) of material.

SWACO is always looking to expand the materials accepted at the Recycling Convenience Center. If you have questions or suggestions about recycled material, contact outreach@swaco.org.

What materials are accepted?

“Basic” or routine items that are accepted are…

• Cardboard and paper
• Carton containers
• Glass bottles and jars
• Metal cans and cups
• Plastic bottles and containers

Specialty items that are accepted are…

• Appliances
• Batteries (household and car)
• Bicycles
• Books
• Clothing
• Computer monitors*
• End-of-life clothing (denim, t-shirts, towels, socks, etc)
• Fats, oils, and greases
• Fluorescent lightbulbs (including CFLS, Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs)
• Food Waste
• Live trees and greenery (seasonal or holiday) through December 14^th – January 31^st
• Household electronics
• Latex-based paint
• Oil-based paint and spray paint
• Prescription pills bottles with lids (must be empty)
• Select yard waste (logs, limbs and branches, untreated woodchips and brush)
• String lights
• Styrofoam packaging (packing peanuts and food containers NOT accepted)
• Televisions*
• Tires*
• Used motor oil, antifreeze, and oil filters

All items with a * by their name require a fee to dispose of.

Fees for items

• Tires – $5.00 per tire
• LCD TV Monitor – $15.00
• CRTs Below 20’” – $25.00
• CRTs Below 35” – $35.00
• CRTs Above 35” – $45.00

SWACO accepts credit, debit, and check payments only.

LCD TVs are flat screens (not computer monitors)

CRT TVs are old-fashion, cube-like TVS/monitors

End-of-life clothing: While these items are normally accepted here, SWACO is testing out a end-of-life clothing pilot program. This pilot program operates from June to August at select locations around Franklin County. The program is designed specifically to take in textiles that cannot be re-worn, but can be made into new material.

To find out more about the end-of-life clothing program go to https://recycleright.org/end-of-life-clothing-drop-off-sites/

Household Hazardous Waste: To find out more about how you can dispose of your household hazardous waste (HHW) go to SWACO.org, click on Recycle Right and scroll down to household hazardous waste, or read about it here https://www.swaco.org/195/Household-Hazardous-Waste

The household hazardous waste facility is located at 645 E. 8^th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201 (The corner of E. 8^th and Essex Avenue). Their hours, Monday through Friday, are between 9 AM to 5 PM. On the first Saturday of the month, they are open from 9 AM to 2 PM

What is not accepted?

• Trash
• Medical waste
• Propane tanks or any HHW materials
• Packing peanuts
• Food containers

Who can help me when I arrive?

When you pull in, a SWACO attendant will assist you with unloading your items. Our attendants are a huge help and can help with big or small items. They can also make sure that what you are trying to dispose of is appropriate for our facility.

Where is the Recycling Convenience Center?

The Recycling Convenience Center is located at 2566 Jackson Pike, Columbus, OH, 43223. One of our duo transfer stations resides there as well. If you have any questions when you arrive, look for a SWACO attendant.

Where does the recycled material go after you collect it?

SWACO partners with several wonderful organizations that collect the material that Franklin County residents drop off. These organizations can create new items from the recycled material, reinforcing SWACO’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

When is it open?

The Recycling Convenience Center is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM, and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM

FAQ

What can I expect? -> When you pull in a SWACO attendant will assist you with unloading your items. Our attendants are a huge help and can help with big or small items.

I live outside of Franklin County. Can I use the site?-> No. This center is for Franklin County residents only.

Where do you take the recycled materials after you collect it? -> SWACO partners with several different organizations that use recycled materials.