April 26, 2012 – The City of Ann Arbor was selected as one of nine municipal finalists in the national Green Cities award, sponsored Waste & Recycling News. The Green City Award recognizes the towns, cities, counties and districts that have shown exceptional leadership in successfully communicating and promoting their residential recycling programs. The press release is attached (pdf).
April 4, 2012 -- Free e-waste collections May 2012. The University of Michigan is coordinating free computer and electronics collection events this spring for the general public as well as for schools, nonprofits, and businesses. Details are posted on the U-M web page www.ocs.umich.edu and poster.
• The general public e-waste event is on Saturday, May 5, 9am–2pm at Pioneer High School, 601 W. Stadium Blvd, Ann Arbor, 48104.
• Schools, government, nonprofits, small & medium business are welcome to bring electronics on Thursday, May 3, and Friday, May 4, 9am–2pm at Washtenaw Intermediate School District Office, 1819 S. Wagner Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Pre-registration at http://michigan.poweron.com/p/register for the institutional event is requested to ensure adequate staffing, but is not required.
March 21, 2011 — The weekly curbside collection of residential compostables in the City of Ann Arbor will resume Monday, March 26, 2012 on regular curbside trash collection days. The compost program accepts yard trimmings including leaves, plants, garden debris, twigs, and branches up to six inches in diameter and four feet in length. Ann Arbor residents using optional compost carts may also place grass clippings; fruit and vegetable scraps; and uncoated paper plates, paper cups, and napkins inside compost carts for municipal collection. Details on the compost collection program are posted online here. The press release is attached (pdf).
March 21, 2012 — Spring Saturday hours at the Ann Arbor Compost Center, 4150 Platt Road are back for April, May, and June for bulk municipal compost, mulch, and topsoil sales from 8 to noon in addition to year-round 8 to 4 weekday hours, 734. 489.4518. Ann Arbor residents are eligible for two discounts and special offers starting in April from the 4150 Platt Road facility
1) Free self-loaded compost and mulch is available on Saturdays, April 7 through June 30, 2012 from 8 a.m. to noon, while supplies last. Residents stop by the scale house and provide proof of Ann Arbor residency and then are directed to the location of the free compost. Limit 6 bushels (or 1 cubic yard) per household/year.
2) Recyclebank coupon for one free cubic yard of compost or mulch with a compost or mulch purchase, while supplies last. Log online to Recyclebank and select the coupon to print at-home or call for a mailed coupon. Register for the free Recyclebank program at www.Recyclebank.com or phone 1.888.727.2978. The full press release is attached (pdf).
March 20, 2012 — Ann Arbor City Council passed a resolution in support of the existing 1990 legislative ban on sending yard wastes to state landfills. This resolution is offered in response to bills passed recently in the state House of Representatives (HB 4265 and HB 4266 ) that would modify the ban on landfilling yard wastes. Ann Arbor’s resolution states that composting offers an environmentally sound, cost-effective, and decentralized method for managing yard clippings and other organic wastes, without the long-term impacts of landfill disposal. Michigan’s compost industry provides sustainable jobs and produces a valuable soil amending end-product used by farmers, landscapers, governments, and residents. In contrast, diverting yard waste to landfills to extract methane gas for fuel is an inefficient process and creates an irresponsible release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Press release is attached (pdf).
Jan 20, 2012 -- You may follow and subscribe to the city's Solid Waste Plan updating process on this web page and GovDelivery link.
Jan. 17, 2012 -- Results from the city's "Residential Recycling Survey" are now available online (85-page pdf). In the fall of 2011 Ann Arbor residents were invited to respond to a survey about the new single stream recycling expansion and the Recyclebank recycling incentives program. A total of 1012 valid survey responses were received. Report is attached (pdf).
Dec. 5, 2011 -- The City of Ann Arbor is seeking community advisors to assist with developing the next five-year Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan. The 12-member committee will include volunteer representatives from Ann Arbor residential neighborhoods, businesses, and other key stakeholders. Interested residents or business representatives should send contact information and a brief written statement of interest to solid waste coordinator Tom McMurtrie, 734.794.6000 x 43707 or email tmcmurtrie@a2gov.org by Friday, Dec. 16, 2011.