Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO INCREASE THE LANDFILL DIVERSION, RECYCLING, AND REUSE RATES OF THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA. WE DO THIS TO HELP MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AROUND THE WORLD. WE FIND WAYS TO SEND "HARD-TO-RECYCLE" ITEMS FOR RECYCLING, AND WE FIND PLACES FOR ITEMS TO BE REUSED. MANY ITEMS GO TO OTHER NONPROFITS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ITEMS AVAILABLE FOR FREE TO THE PUBLIC FOR REUSE.
- Income
- $631,952
- Spending
- $736,443
- Spent on programs
- 61%
- Reserves
- 3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 76%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $45,780, warehouse director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1561% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $49,573 spent. ELECTRONICS AND UNIVERSAL WASTE RECYCLING 54.58TONS OF ELECTRONICS, INCLUDING TVS, COMPUTERS, FRIDGES, FREEZERS, AUDIO EQUIPMENT, CORDS, ETC., SENT FOR RECYCLING 35,272LBS OF UNIVERSAL WASTES, INCLUDING LIGHTBULBS, BATTERIES, LIGHTING BALLASTS, AND CAPACITORS SENT FOR RECYCLING. WE COLLECT ELECTRONICS AND UNIVERSAL WASTES AT DROP OFF EVENTS AND DURING OUR REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS AT OUR WAREHOUSE. WE CHARGE FEES FOR ALL OF THESE ITEMS, AS WE HAVE TO PAY FEES TO THE RECYCLERS WE SHIP THESE ITEMS TO FOR PROCESSING. WE COLLECT THESE ITEMS BECAUSE THEY ARE CONSIDERED HARD-TO-RECYCLE AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS (SUCH AS LEAD IN CRT TVS, MERCURY IN FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS, ETC.). THE MORE ITEMS WE CAN SEND FOR RECYCLING, THE MORE WE KEEP THOSE HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS OUT OF PEOPLE'S HOMES AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
- $52,909 spent. A. BEYOND THE BIN RECYCLING AND REUSE 39.3 TONS OF POSTCONSUMER PLASTIC (INCLUDING FILM/BAGS AND RIGID #2#7 AND "NO NUMBER" PLASTICS) SENT FOR RECYCLING 4.8 TONS OF STYROFOAM SENT FOR RECYCLING 0.1 TONS OF SHOES SENT FOR REUSE AND RECYCLING 5.7 TONS OF OFFICE/SCHOOL SUPPLIES GIVEN AWAY FOR REUSE 5.9 TONS OF GARDEN ITEMS GIVEN AWAY FOR REUSE 1.2 TONS OF TIRES SENT FOR RECYCLING 1.2 TONS OF PACKING MATERIALS (BUBBLE WRAP, AIR PILLOWS, ETC.) GIVEN AWAY FOR REUSE 2121 POUNDS OF DENIM SENT FOR RECYCLING AND OVER 150 TONS OF OTHER ITEMS SENT FOR RECYCLING OR REUSE. WE COLLECT THESE "HARD-TO-RECYCLE" ITEMS TO HELP OTHER NONPROFITS BETTER FULFILL THEIR MISSIONS, TO KEEP REUSABLE ITEMS OUT OF THE LANDFILL, AND TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES (ENERGY, WATER, ETC.) NEEDED TO CREATE NEW ITEMS. THE FEWER RESOURCES WE NEED TO CREATE NEW ITEMS, THE LESS GREENHOUSE GASES ARE CREATED. THIS WILL HELP LESSEN THE WORST EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD.
- $5,801 spent. TERRACYCLE RECYCLING 12,794LBS OF PLASTIC PACKAGING AND OTHER ITEMS SENT TO TERRACYCLE FOR RECYCLING, INCLUDING KROGER BRAND BAG PACKAGING, ORAL CARE ITEMS (I.E. TOOTHBRUSHES, TOOTHPASTE TUBES, ETC.) AND PACKAGING, DEODORANT PACKAGING, BIMBO BAKERIES BAG PACKAGING, BRITA WATER FILTERS AND PACKAGING, AND MANY MORE ITEMS. WE COLLECT THESE "HARD-TO-RECYCLE" ITEMS AS A WAY TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF PLASTIC AND OTHER RECYCLABLE ITEMS SENT TO LANDFILLS AND TO INCREASE THE AMOUNTS OF THESE ITEMS THAT ARE RECYCLED ANNUALLY. TERRACYCLE IS A FORPROFIT COMPANY THAT PARTNERS WITH COMPANIES LIKE PROCTER & GAMBLE, KROGER, AND COLGATE TO HELP RECYCLE THE PACKAGING FROM THOSE COMPANIES' PRODUCTS. TERRACYCLE PAYS ORGANIZATIONS (LIKE THE HUB, SCHOOLS, AND SCOUT TROOPS) TO COLLECT THE MATERIALS, WHOSE SHIPPING FEES ARE ALSO PAID BY TERRACYCLE.
- $343,710 spent. ZEROLANDFILL CINCINNATI 105,205LBS OF ZEROLANDFILL MATERIALS WERE TAKEN FOR REUSE IN 2024. THE ZEROLANDFILL PROGRAM COLLECTS ITEMS LIKE CARPET SAMPLES, FABRIC SWATCHES, WALLPAPER BOOKS, ETC. FROM ARCHITECTURAL AND DESIGN FIRMS. THESE ITEMS ARE THEN AVAILABLE TO ARTISTS, TEACHERS, SCOUT LEADERS, AND THE PUBLIC TO TAKE FOR WHATEVER USE THEY MAY HAVE, TO KEEP THE ITEMS OUT OF THE LANDFILL.EDUCATION PROGRAMMING (UPCYCLED CRAFT NIGHTS) AND PRESENTATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE DO AT THE HUB, HOW TO USE LESS RESOURCES, ETC.GENERAL PROGRAM REVENUE AND EXPENSES (SHARED ACROSS MULTIPLE PROGRAMS), INCLUDING COSTS OF TRANSPORTATION TO PICK UP OR DELIVER ITEMS FOR RECYCLING AND REUSE, SUPPLIES, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE (FOR INSTANCE, A HOTSPOT TO TAKE PAYMENTS AT OFFSITE LOCATIONS), INSURANCE FOR OUR VEHICLES, AND WAGES FOR OUR WAREHOUSE WORKERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2020.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.