This year’s Ohio State Fair was a little greener and a little more sustainable thanks to a special grant from the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO). Visitors to the fair in Columbus found 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.
In addition to the new receptacles, SWACO provided improved signage for fairgoers, training for custodial staff, and other technical assistance. Throughout the course of this year’s fair, which ran 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.
Published September 2026
