ABOUT WMEA
WMEA Program, has been serving Paulding County since 1988 when the State of Ohio mandated that all Ohio counties divert waste from landfills, and form solid waste districts. Paulding County was teamed up with Defiance, Fulton and Williams Counties to form the Four County Solid Waste District.
A plan was created to raise awareness about the Program by engaging the school districts. A competition was created to see which school could collect the most amount of materials to be recycled. The competition began every September with an all school presentation. Volunteers from the schools would gather the materials, sort them by category and put them into semitrailers. Those trailers would then be taken to the recycling center to be weighed. The winning school with the most tonnage would receive a traveling trophy that was made from recycled materials.
Over the years the program has evolved from using a 15 foot box truck to two 28 foot enclosed trailers and “Big Red” our 15 seat passenger van that has been outfitted to meet the needs of the program. With the help of Boy Scout Troop 315 and The Leaders of Tomorrow 4-H Club, the concept of and the absolute need for recycling is being handed down to the next generation. By participating in the Program the students from Paulding County are learning in a “hands on” fashion what it means to reduce, reuse and recycle as they serve their friends and neighbors.
WHAT AND HOW TO RECYCLE
CARDBOARD
- Breakdown boxes completely so they’re flat and can be stacked
NEWSPAPERS AND INSERTS
- Please lay flat or placed flat in paper bag
- Bundle and tie together or place in boxes
MAGAZINES/CATALOGS
- Please lay flat or placed flat in paper bag
- Bundle and tie together or place in boxes
PAPER
- Bagged shredded and/or bagged loose
- Do NOT combine
STEEL CANS
- Rinse out cans to avoid bugs/odors
ALUMINUM CANS
- Rinse out cans
- No aluminum foil or tin food containers
- Pop cans
PLASTIC NO’S 1&2 ONLY
Please check the bottom of the container for the number in the triangle and separate based on the number. NO GLASS.
- Water Bottles
- Milk Jugs (clear/opaque ones need to be separated from the solid white ones)
- Pop Bottles (plastic bottles only, no glass)
- Juice Containers
- Detergent Containers
- Bleach and Vinegar bottles

PAULDING COUNTY DROP-OFF RECYCLING TRAILERS SCHEDULE:
1st SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH
- Grover Hill – VFW parking lot in Grover Hill – 9:00-11:00 am (For month of January only, it will be the second Saturday)
- Haviland/Scott – Village Park on SR 114 – 11:15-11:45 am
- Paulding – Paulding Fairgrounds – 9:00-11:00 am
- Cecil – Fire Station – 9:00-11:00 am
3nd WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH
- Junction – Old Catholic Church – 12:30-1:00 pm
- Latty – Village Meeting Hall/Park – 2:30-3:00 pm
3rd SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH
- Payne – Village Park/SR 49 – 9:00-11:00 am

Permanent Drop Off Sites
Call for a list of what they accept
Erie Recycling
103 Waterplant Drive
Antwerp, OH 45813
Phone: 260-602-9670
Kohart Surplus & Salvage
15360 SR 613
Broughton, OH 45879
Phone: 419-399-4144
Real Waste Disposal
SUSPENDED
8687 Rd 177
Oakwood, OH 45873
Phone: 419-594-2888
RECYCLING ROUNDUP
Recycling Roundup (A Year in Review)
I’m not sure how a full year has passed since I took over the reins of the WMEA Program. It’s been a whirlwind of learning about recycling in general and how we, as Paulding County residents, contribute specifically to keeping material out of landfill. One of the...






PAULDING COUNTY WMEA
Shannon Ruschel/Director
Office 419-399-3630
Cell 832-444-4814
Email: shannon@pauldingcountywmea.com