WRRMA is currently implementing a grant-funded Recycling Quality Improvement program in its municipalities. The Recycling Quality Improvement program aims to reduce recycling contamination, or items that can’t be recycled, in WRRMA’s communities. In your recycling, contaminants can have unintended consequences and cause many issues. Contaminants like plastic bags and hoses tangle up the recycling
processing machinery, while batteries and propane tanks can cause fires. Cleaner recycling helps ensure the materials you work hard to recycle are ultimately able to be recycled. WRRMA’s “recycling detectives” will quickly glance at each single-family home’s recycling bin on four curbside recycling days beginning June 21st and ending August 13th (check the timeline on our webpage for your local timeframe). If contamination is found during one of these quick checks, the recycling detective will leave behind an orange “oops” tag with personalized feedback. On later checks, if a red “oops” tag is left behind, the recycling will not be picked up until the item noted on the tag is removed. Tag questions can be directed to WRRMA’s recycling hotline at (734) 222-3920. Data will be collected both before and after the tagging process to see how many contaminants we were able to collectively remove from our recycling. This is part of a statewide effort throughout Michigan to increase our recycling rate, decrease recycling costs, reduce worker safety hazards, and attract manufacturers using recycled products to see Michigan as a great place to do business. This program is funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and The Recycling Partnership (TRP). The Recycling Partnership has coordinated this program in over 80 locations across the United States and has seen contamination rates reduced by up to 40% as a direct result. WRRMA is maintaining a recycling hotline at (734) 222-3920 during the program for answering recycling questions. For more details about the program visit WRRMA’s website at www.wrrma.org. Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority (WRRMA) is a solid waste authority in southeastern Michigan. WRRMA officially formed in September 2019 with seven members – the Townships of Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, Scio, and Ypsilanti and the Cities of Dexter, Saline, and Ypsilanti. WRRMA aims to decrease recycling contamination in member communities and promote cross-municipality collaboration and communication. WRRMA’s social media and web sites are managed by staff or authorized agents of WRRMA during regular business hours Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. Comments or questions submitted after hours or on weekends or holidays may be read by staff members or its authorized agents but are not guaranteed for prompt response. Social media web sites may occasionally be unavailable and we accept no responsibility for lack of service due to downtime. Comments expressed by community members on any WRMMA social media or website do not reflect the opinions and position of WRRMA or its Board. WRRMA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to remove comments, including but not limited to, those that are discriminatory, obscene, threatening, insulting, advertisements, violate the intellectual property rights of another, promote illegal activity, or are not related to the topic in the original posting.
