Solid Waste in the (Small) City

Hear from small Central Ohio communities about the innovative and replicable ways they're working to reduce waste from the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill, including upstream and downstream solutions for the residential, business, and institutional sectors.

With differing strategic priorities, capabilities, and funding sources, small- and medium-sized Central Ohio municipalities are taking matters into their own hands by implementing creative ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Learn how best practices are shared among neighboring cities and explore what is on the horizon in Central Ohio.

This session will highlight three Central Ohio community programs: Bexley’s Universal Recycling program, Upper Arlington’s food waste recycling program, and Westerville’s electronic and light collection. Learn how to start, promote, and measure the success of a program.

About the Speakers

David Celebrezze
Sustainability Coordinator | City of Westerville

David R. Celebrezze is Westerville’s first Sustainability Coordinator and is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing comprehensive department and community-wide sustainability programs. One of his main goals is the implementation of Westerville’s Zero Waste Plan of diverting 80% of waste from the landfill by 2032. He has a lifelong passion for sustainability and the environment and has spent the past 21 years working with the public, businesses, and government on these issues. David views sustainability as a thread that connects all aspects of our community. He lives in Columbus with his wife and three cats, and enjoys gardening, playing the great highland bagpipes in various parks and doing amphibian and macroinvertebrate surveys in vernal pools.

Elizabeth Ellman
Sustainability Programs Coordinator | City of Bexley

Elizabeth Ellman serves as the City of Bexley's Ohio's Sustainability Programs Coordinator where she manages programs from aggregation to the Zero Waste Plan, and a lot of things in between. This year, Elizabeth spearheaded an anti-idling campaign, Food Council, community Freedge, greenhouse gas inventory, and educational program for all of the first and fourth graders in the local school district.

Katy Rees
Program Manager | City of Upper Arlington

Katy Rees is a Program Manager for the City of Upper Arlington, where she leads the community’s waste diversion initiatives with over 10 years of experience in program and sustainability management. Her work focuses on making waste reduction practical, impactful, and community-driven. Katy also serves on the board of the Association of Ohio Recyclers, bringing her voice and expertise to statewide efforts in sustainable waste practices. She holds a bachelor’s from the University of Dayton, a Master’s degree in Management, and is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt. Katy is deeply rooted in the UA community, where she lives with her husband, Jim, and their dog, Hazel. Outside of work, she finds joy in teaching yoga, running, and soaking up live music and sporting events.