This year’s Ohio State Fair will be a little greener and a little more sustainable thanks to a special grant from SWACO. Visitors to the annual exposition in Columbus will find more upgraded and expanded recycling options this year in five Ohio Expo Center buildings, including Kasich Hall, the Lausche Building, and the Celeste Center. The 100 new receptacles this year build on a successful pilot program from 2025 that diverted more than eight tons of recycling from the landfill, and the expansion is phase one of a three-year partnership that includes a more-than $24,000 grant from SWACO.
The Ohio State Fair welcomes more than one million visitors each year and the Ohio Expo Center hosts more than 200 other events throughout the year, including the All-American Quarter Horse Congress, Equine Affair, Goodguys Rod & Custom Car Show, and the Arnold Sports Festival. The new partnership will allow the Expo Center to better coordinate its recycling program, increase the amount of material diverted from the landfill, and establish measurable diversion benchmarks for long-term evaluation and improvement.
“The state fair is such a wonderful tradition in central Ohio and represents a great opportunity for us to expand recycling and education for its visitors and vendors,” said SWACO Executive Director Joe Lombardi. “We’re excited to partner with the Ohio Expo Center this year and in the years to come to help educate the public about recycling, divert waste from the landfill, and make this great annual event even more sustainable.”
In addition to the new receptacles, SWACO will provide improved signage for fairgoers, training for custodial staff, and other technical assistance. Throughout the course of this year’s 12-day fair, which runs from July 29th to August 9th, the project is expected to divert up to 14 tons of recyclable materials. Expo Center staff will collect data on the project during the fair and compile a report that will inform subsequent years of the program.
“With hundreds of thousands of visitors coming through the Ohio State Fair gates each year, we have a real opportunity to improve sustainability efforts,“ explained Alicia Shoults, deputy director of experience and operations. “Building on the success of last year’s pilot program, which diverted more than eight tons of recyclables and cardboard, we’re excited to expand recycling infrastructure to additional buildings and areas. We’re working hard to help our guests recycle more and waste less — not just during the State Fair, but throughout the hundreds of events we host year-round. This grant allows us to turn a promising pilot into a lasting system, and we’re grateful for the continued partnership with SWACO as we work toward a cleaner, more sustainable fairgrounds.”
Applications for SWACO’s Community 91TV Reduction Grants program which provided more than $275,000 in sustainability funding last year to nonprofits, local governments, hospitals, and faith-based organizations are open now through August 7th.