Responsible Resource Use 

Goal: Produce zero waste

Our resources will be used more responsibly when little or nothing is wasted. More energy efficient homes and businesses save energy, support local contractors, and keep more dollars in the local economy. Recycling is assumed for all goods. Part of the local economy is based on using these recycling streams in new value-added products.

Responsible Resource Use Indicators

State of Our Environment 2007

The City of Ann Arbor provides weekly waste and recycling collection to all Ann Arbor residents (22,000 curbside; 24,000 apartment locations). More than half of all of Ann Arbor's residential solid waste is recovered through municipally provided recycling or composting programs. According to Recycle Ann Arbor, 94 percent of all residents recycled curb side in 2006.  However, our per capita creation of waste (by weight) is increasing and commercial recycling is far less than it could be.  Our near-term goal is to recycle 60% of the commercial waste stream.

Background

The Resource Recovery Center, located on a 400-acre site, is responsible for the disposal, recovery, and processing of Ann Arbor 's garbage, recyclables, and compost.  The RRC site includes the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), Compost Center, Drop-off Station and closed landfill. The Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) building processes around 140 tons of recyclables (both containers and papers) per day. Waste that cannot be reused or recycled is compacted, loaded onto trucks and sent to a private landfill.  

In Ann Arbor, recycling is easy--and provided at no extra charge! Free weekly recycling collection is available to every home, apartment, nonprofit and business located in Ann Arbor. If you live inside the City and need a bin, call 99-GREEN (734-994-7336) and get set up.

Related Indicators

Energy Resources	Electricity Use	Natural Gas Use	Renewable Energy Use
Water Resources	Water Use per Capita	Wastewater Treated
Transportation Resources	Ann Arbor Transit Authority Ridership	Alternative Fuel Use

What the City of Ann Arbor is Doing

• Commercial Recycling Committee: Recycling performance for Ann Arbor businesses - which make up approximately 60% of the total Ann Arbor waste stream - lags behind at a low 15%.  The City is determined to help businesses recycle more.
• New Transfer Station
• Expanded Compost Processing Facility
• Improved Material Recovery Facility

You Can Help

• Reduce! Become a Washtenaw County WasteKnot Business Partner.
• Reuse! Check Washtenaw County’s online guides such as the Turning Trash into Treasure Guide.
• Recycle! Check out Ann Arbor’s recycling guide. (PDF) 
• Compost! Start a home yard waste compost pile.
• Drop off! Locate information on the Home Toxics Collection Center.
• Stay Informed! Take a virtual web tour of the City’s Materials Recovery Facility or attend a monthly MRF open house.