Draft of solid waste management plan sent to Ohio EPA for comment

The policy committee of the Medina County Solid Waste Management District recently approved a draft of the solid waste management plan update for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to make its initial reviews and comments. In a letter to Medina County community leaders, Medina County Commissioner Steve Hambley said the 15-year plan update starts in 2027. The county's solid waste management system relies on flow control, which requires all the county's trash to go to the Medina County Transfer system in Seville. He said the flow control system helps keep program costs low for Medina County residents. "The district relies on its flow control mechanism and the associated solid waste fees to fund its programs and operation," Hambley said. "Rising service costs are expected to require fees to rise over the planning period." The Solid Waste Policy Committee and an appointed Technical Advisory committee worked with planning consultant GT Environmental Inc. to do a flow control analysis at the request of the city of Brunswick, he said. Brunswick made a formal request to be removed from the flow control requirement in 2025. Brunswick generates around 15,000 tons of waste annually, according to the solid waste district's internal data. Hambley said the city's waste is approximately 10 percent of all the waste going to the transfer station, and if it went elsewhere, that would reduce the district's revenue by an estimated $680,000 a year. The updated plan features two budgets: one is the typical budget in which flow control is maintained, and the other accounts for a tonnage waiver being granted to Brunswick, he said. The maximum aggregate tonnage that could be exempted from flow control based on the tonnage waiver is 15,000 tons. The Medina County commissioners would set a waiver fee annually for each ton of trash that is exempted from flow control, Hambley said. Those who wish to send waste to a place other than the Medina County Transfer Station would have to apply for a waiver and pay a fee, which compensates the district for lost revenue. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency will send in its revisions for the draft plan, which will be reviewed by the policy committee, he said. The public comment period for the draft plan is not scheduled to begin until Sept. 1. "The policy committee action adopting a plan to be submitted to the communities for ratification is not anticipated until November 2026 — following Ohio (Environmental Protection Agency) review and discussions, public hearings and a period for public comments," Hambley said. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.