ANN ARBOR TO EXPAND RECYCLING PROGRAM:
SINGLE-STREAM SERVICE NOW PROVIDED ALL CITY CUSTOMERS
The City of Ann Arbor reconfigured its recycling plant to accept an expanded range of materials from residents, schools, and businesses. The city is also partnering with RecycleBank to provide rewards and incentives to households that recycle.
- What is single-stream recycling? Single stream recycling allows residents and businesses to put all their recyclable materials in one convenient wheeled recycling cart. No recyclables will be collected outside the recycling carts. Trash will still be put in a separate cart. The attached video clip (created by RecycleBank) provides a generic overview of the process.
- What new materials are accepted? All plastic bottles and tubs (except #3/PVC and biodegradable plastics/PLA) will be added. Large bulky plastic items, such as laundry baskets and buckets will be accepted. For more details, open to a new Web page here,
- What materials will not be accepted? Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam™), #3 (PVC) plastics, biodegradable/PLA plastics, and plastic bags will not be accepted. Ceramics, porcelain, batteries, used motor oil and oil filters will no longer be accepted.
- When did single-stream recycling begin in Ann Arbor? Single-stream recycling began on Monday, July 5, 2010 for residents and partipating businesses. Since that date all customers are able to recycle all the additional plastics and other materials mentioned above. The new recycle carts will not arrive immediately for everyone. Please continue to use your existing recycling stacking bins until you have received your new cart. You will be able to blend all the recyclable materials in your existing stacking bins effective July 5, 2010.
- Will I get a new recycling container? New, free recycling carts will be delivered to each residence over a 6-8 week period in July-August 2010 with approximately 1000 carts/day delivered along neighborhood routes. Businesses will be able to place all materials to be recycled in their current recycling carts and “papers only” recycling dumpsters. Apartment complexes will receive new or refurbished carts, depending on the age of the current containers.
- What is RecycleBank? RecycleBank is a program that provides rewards to residents who recycle. Please go to this new Web page for more information on RecycleBank.
- Why convert to single-stream recycling? The combination of the single-stream program with the RecycleBank incentive program will substantially increase the city’s recycling rate and decrease solid waste costs. The city is spending $3.25 million to upgrade their MRF and $1.4 million for new recycling carts, as well funding for automated lift arms on the new recycle trucks. It is anticipated that the program savings will pay back this investment in less than 7 years. For more information, please see the Powerpoint that was presented to City Council or the more detailed project budget spreadsheet (5-page pdf spreadsheet).
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Why go to single-stream recycling now? At a February 18, 2010 Webinar sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Jerry Powell, featured speaker and editor of the recycling trade journal Resource Recycling, responded to a call-in question on the future of single-stream recycling as follows: Within the next 4-5 years, I anticipate that more than 80% of the U.S. recycling plants serving non-rural communities will switch to single-stream because co-mingled collection and processing represent the future of recycling markets. The only delays to having this changeover happen more quickly is budgeting the purchase of new collection vehicles in coordination with recycling plant (MRF) building improvements. As older recycling vehicles reach their service expectancy and are upgraded to single-stream collection models, most MRFs will upgrade to single-stream.
Selected Resources:
On Nov. 5, 2009 City Council authorized staff to pursue development of a single-stream recycling program at the city-owned Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), which is operated by the private contractor FCR/Casella, based in Rutland, Vt. Key components of a single-stream recycling program are that separated recyclables are placed in one recycling bin for collection, and additional materials—especially a wider range of plastics—are added to the list of accepted recyclables. A contract with RecycleBank and a revised contract with Recycle Ann Arbor were authorized in March, 2010. The MRF upgrades will happen over the summer, new recycling carts will begin distribution in July. All residents and participating businesses will be able to participate in setting out more type of recyclables starting Monday, July 5, 2010, even before receiving a new recycling cart.
Please send comments to recycle@a2gov.org. Thank you!
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