Lucas County materials recovery facility (MRF) work continues in 2025

The Board of Lucas County Commissioners and Lucas County Solid Waste Management District are pleased to be underway with the remediation of the site of the former South & Western Landfill in Toledo.  This will pave the way for constructing and implementing a materials recovery facility (MRF) for property owners of Lucas County.

The MRF will be a state-of-the-art facility that will receive, sort, consolidate, and ship to market, an estimated 30,000 tons of recyclables collected from Lucas County residents each year. 

Initial work on the property along South Avenue and Kuhlman Drive is underway with fill material being brought in to facilitate remediation of the site. Said site remediation work is expected to be complete in the Fall of 2025. The MRF is expected to be operational in 2026.

Conceptual MRF Layout

Soil Import Picture

Soil Import Picture

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a MRF?

A: A materials recovery facility, or MRF (pronounced like "murph"), receives, separates, and prepares recyclables to be sold to an end buyer. A MRF uses a combination of equipment, machines, and manual labor to separate and prepare recyclable materials.

Q: What does a MRF sort?

A: Materials recovery facilities sort a wide array of recyclable materials, including, but not limited to:

  • Plastics
  • Cardboard
  • Paper, including newspapers, magazines, office paper, and mixed paper
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Metal containers, including aluminum and steel cans
  • Cartons

Q: Who will operate the MRF?

A: Lucas County will have an agreement with Balcones Resources to receive, process, and market recyclables, as well as to operate the MRF. View a video of the Balcones Resources MRF in Austin, Texas to learn how a MRF works.

Q: What are the benefits of a MRF?

A: Materials recovery facilities help recycle in a more economic and efficient manner. In Lucas County, a single-stream MRF will drastically reduce our county-wide carbon footprint. Recycling materials that are put out at the curb or collected at drop-off locations currently are transferred 90 miles away in Oberlin to be sorted. With the new MRF, Lucas County will take in recyclables, sort and process the materials, and prepare for shipment all in one location, saving employee time and taxpayer money. The new facility will also add 25 new jobs in addition to retaining 15 jobs.

Q: Where will the MRF be located?

A: The facility will be located on 15 acres along Kuhlman Drive and South Avenue near I-75.

Q: How big will the facility be?

A: The facility is estimated to be 60,000 square feet. Lucas County looks forward to hosting public tours once the facility is operational.

Q: How much will it cost?

A: The MRF is estimated to cost $20-$30 million.

Q: How is it being funded?

A: Lucas County has been awarded a $7 million grant from the State of Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program Fund, a $4 million grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant) and a $1 million HUD Economic Development grant.  Lucas County Solid Waste Management District funds (through SW Fees) and other loans will make up the remaining required funds.

Q: When will it be open?

A. The facility is expected to be operational in 2026.

Q: Will I need to change the way I recycle?

A: No. Recyclables will continue to be picked up at the curb and at drop-off locations throughout Lucas County. However, we always encourage residents to do CORRECT RECYCLING.  For recycling best practices, please visit lucascountyrecycles.org.

Timeline

  • December 12, 2023: A letter was sent to nearby residents regarding preliminary activities near Kuhlman Drive and South Avenue.
  • January 30, 2024: Lucas County and Verdantas, the company assisting Lucas County with engineering and design on the MRF project, hosted an open house-style public information meeting. Interested parties were invited to the Verdantas offices located at 219 S. Erie St. in Toledo between 4-6 p.m. to learn more about the MRF.
  • February-March 2024: Crews cleared trees on the site to prepare for remediation activities 
  • Through 2025: Site capping, stabilization, soil vapor management is taking place on the site. (with $7 million Ohio Brownfield Remediation grant)

  • 2025: MRF construction $30 million ($10 to $15 million from Lucas County Solid Waste Mgmt District funds)

  • 2026: MRF planned to be operational