SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): A grant-funded pilot program is now providing free recycling pickup at several apartment buildings in Cincinnati, aiming to make recycling more accessible for multifamily properties. While curbside recycling is already available at no cost for single-family homes, apartment residents typically pay extra for the service.

"Our goal is to reduce at least 25 percent of the trash and move it into recycling," said Recycling Manager Sue Magness. The pilot hopes to reach 3,000 housing units, with several small buildings already participating and the largest being 7 West 7th, a Downtown office-to-housing conversion with over 300 units.

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At CP Cincy in Clifton, students like Jason Xiao are helping as program ambassadors, photographing recycling and trash dumpsters so that AI analysis can identify items placed in the wrong container. Magness says the insights are used to educate residents on proper recycling practices, such as avoiding plastic bags and flattening cardboard boxes to save space.

Once complete, the city’s Office of Environment and Sustainability will present recommendations to City Council. Funded by an outside grant, the program currently costs nothing to property owners or residents, making sustainable curbside recycling more equitable across the city.