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In 2010, Ann Arbor residents recycled 15,911 tons of material. Total recycling increased by 13% in 2010 compared to 2009.
Source: Ann Arbor Solid Waste, Systems Planning April 2011 |
2002 and 2003 data are estimated.
The City of Ann Arbor provides weekly waste and recycling collection to all Ann Arbor residents (22,000 curbside; 24,000 apartment locations). The Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) building processes around 140 tons of recyclables (both containers and papers) per day from Ann Arbor and nearly 30 nearby communities. What are total tons recycled?
Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. Materials like glass, metal, plastics, and paper are collected, separated and sent to facilities that can process them into new materials or products.
How does recycling affect our environment?
Recycling reduces space needed for future landfills and energy used to fuel incinerators. Recycling helps curb greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants in our air and water. Recycling allows manufacturers easy access to raw materials without taking them from the Earth. Energy is saved, jobs are produced and resources are conserved for future generations.
At Ann Arbor’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) 110 Tons of Recyclables are Processed Each Day (75% Paper & 25% Containers) from 30 different communities, providing the following benefits every year:
- 340,000 Trees Saved -- 1,545 Acres of Woodlands Left Standing
- 84 million KWH of Electricity Saved --140,000 Homes Could be Powered From the Electricity Saved
- 140 Million Gallons of Water Saved -- This Equals Approximately 5,600 Swimming Pools
- 1.2 Million Pounds of Air Pollution Prevented
- 60,000 Cubic Yards of Landfill Space Saved
- $200,000 Saved in Landfill Disposal Fees
- The cost to collect, sort and sell recyclables from Ann Arbor’s MRF is about the same cost as to collect, transport and bury waste in a landfill. When recycling commodity markets are strong, the sales to paper and steel mills, plastic factories, etc., can gross up to $2 million dollars/year!
Where do my recyclables go after they get picked up?
For all Ann Arbor residences, a nonprofit organization Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA) is contracted to collect recyclables. These collected materials are delivered to the city's Material Recovery Facility (MRF) for processing. Additionally, RAA operates the Drop-Off Station located within the city. These collected materials are delivered to the city’s Resource Recovery Center (RRC) for processing. Private waste haulers are also active within the city and may choose to use the RRC.
The recycling program in Ann Arbor began in 1970 through the efforts of a group of dedicated citizens. From "curbside pickup" to waste recovery and processing the City of Ann Arbor provides innovative waste management services at their Resources Recovery Center (RRC). The RRC, located on a 400-acre site, is responsible for the disposal, recovery, and processing of Ann Arbor 's garbage, recyclables, and compost. (Waste that cannot be reused or recycled is compacted, loaded onto trucks and sent to a private landfill). The site includes the Materials Recovery Facility, Compost Center , Drop-off Station and closed landfill. Construction of the Material Recovery Facility building utilized almost 14 million pounds of recycled material including recycled steel frames and reinforcing, aluminum, and parking stops.
How do Ann Arbor's recycling services compare with other cities across the country?
The City received national recognition from the US EPA, as one of the top-20 recycling and composting communities in the US. The City’s residential waste recovery rate (including both recycling and composting of yard waste) is one of the nations’ best.
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