Lakewood Residents Become Master Recyclers

LAKEWOOD, OH — Two Lakewood residents have been certified as master recyclers by Cuyahoga County, the Solid Waste District announced this week. This is the sixth class to graduate from the district's Master Recycler program.

This class' program began in fall 2018, when 18 people began a nine-week Master Recycler program. The course included lectures and tours focused on reducing waste, reusing materials and recycling.

"Master Recyclers learned from experts in the fields of city recycling, curbside recycling, electronic recycling, hazardous waste management, reuse, composting, sustainability and waste reduction," a spokesperson for the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District said.

The group toured facilities to see first-hand how items are processed for reuse and recycling. They then did take-home projects, personal waste audits and field research, along with 20 hours of volunteering for district outreach programs.

"Volunteer hours were completed by engaging with the public at a variety of environmentally focused events in Cuyahoga County. The Master Recyclers also helped sort waste during zero waste events, assisted with litter cleanups and conducted waste audits," the spokesperson said.

Of the 18 people who began the program, a dozen were able to graduate this year. Here are this year's graduates:

• Jen Bianco, Parma
• Brenna Davis, Cleveland
• Julana Eakin, Lakewood
• Marissa Gerdes, Cleveland
• Eliot Kamen, Cleveland
• John McCumber, Lyndhurst
• Sandy Moran, Cleveland Heights
• Carin Miller, Cleveland Heights
• Judy Opalach, Parma
• Emily Poor, Cleveland
• Walter Topp, Bay Village
• Rechelle Williams, Cleveland Heights

Ren Brumfield from Lakewood is a member of Class of 2015. He also completed his hours and participated in the recent graduation ceremony, the district said.

For more information about the Cuyahoga County Master Recycler program, the group's websiteor contact Carin Miller at 216-443-3731 or cmiller@cuyahogacounty.us.