The Purge is coming to Columbus this summer. But don’t worry – it’s only The Great Green Purge, a day dedicated to disposing of unwanted items.
Hosted by the Ohio Historical Center in conjunction with Big Green Head, the City of Columbus, Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio and others, the event will be held Saturday, June 28 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Residents of Central Ohio may bring a range of items, from household hazardous waste and remodeling materials to gently-used clothing and furniture. For a complete list of items, check Big Green Head’s website.
Local businesses and organizations – Goodwill of Columbus, Habitat for Humanity of MidOhio, Furniture Bank of Central Ohio, Franklinton Cycle Works and Accurate IT Services – are working in cooperation with Big Green Head to collect various materials Saturday.
Karen Ferris, of Big Green Head, said The Great Green Purge is important to Columbus because it allows people to easily get rid of items they don’t want.
“It provides a convenience factor to Central Ohioans,” Ferris said. “I find that people want to do the “right” thing but either don’t know what to do with [their unwanted items] or find it inconvenient to take it there.”
Ferris said that the event also shows the public how and where they can recycle all year.
“It brings awareness to the fact that just because you don’t want it doesn’t mean it’s garbage,” she said. “It showcases businesses and organizations that will take unwanted items all year long. Even if a person doesn’t attend this event, through publicity, they will be acquainted with some great organizations, learn what items they take, and discover where they are located in Columbus.”
Based on attendance of similar events, the group expects the number of items donated and the number of people in attendance to grow if the event occurs in the future.
“As far as attendance goes, I know that a typical household hazardous waste event draws 500-700 cars and a typical electronics collection around 300 cars,” she said. “I think attendance depends on how well we spread the word. I do know that if we make it a regular event, it will grow each year as people will save their items in anticipation for it.”
For more information, check out Big Green Head.