Emmet County Recycling worker Clarence Bacon (right) sorts through recyclable materials as they come down the conveyor belt, a task that takes multiple hands from multiple people. (Sheri McWhirter/News-Review) |
HARBOR SPRINGS — Recycling is a cinder block in the green movement’s foundation and Northern Michigan does it well. Very well, indeed.
Recent years brought dramatic spikes in recycled materials in the four-county region that not only helped drive the local economy, but also spurred the construction of a $4 million-plus expansion at Emmet County Recycling last year. Regional residents responded in kind — the facility now processes record amounts of everything from newspapers and plastic milk jugs to antifreeze and roof shingles.
“We started in 1990 just taking newspaper and cardboard and now we take over 50 different recyclable materials. People can recycle up to 85 percent of their waste stream,” said Elisa Seltzer, director of the county’s Department of Public Works, which operates the recycling program.
The program realized huge jumps in volumes very early on, from about 400 tons in 1990 to more than 2,200 tons in 1993. By 2000, nearly 4,100 tons were processed and last year brought about 7,900 tons of recyclable materials through the facility.
And recycling now seems to be entwined with popular culture. It’s not socially acceptable to pitch everything into a landfill anymore.
“You see recycling everywhere anymore,” Seltzer said.
Furthermore, it’s become easier. Recycling bins can be found in parks, malls, festival grounds and on some communities’ street corners. Additionally, there are dozens of drop sites peppered across the region and some areas even have curbside pick-up available.
“Recycling makes sense financially, environmentally and you’re keeping jobs in Michigan. It’s the single most effective thing you can do to make a difference for the environment,” Seltzer said.
The drop-off and processing facility on Pleasantview Road in Harbor Springs accepts recyclables from Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties, along with materials from some businesses and residents of other areas.
“I think it should be a law. I don’t think we should have a choice in the matter. We should all have to recycle,” said Lisa Bechaz, of Petoskey, an avid recycler and longtime program volunteer.
She believes the prominence in recent years of the green movement — including recycling — is thanks to various educational efforts under way for the last two decades.
“It makes so much common sense. People should get in this groove. It’s so easy to do. I don’t even have to think about it anymore,” Bechaz said.
Charlevoix County taxpayers support the recycling program there through a 0.15-mil levy, funds used to pay Emmet County to process the recyclable materials. It’s a well-used service.
“Recycling has picked up. More and more people are recycling, based on the amounts of materials we are receiving,” said Kelly Martin, secretary of the Charlevoix County Recycling Committee. “Trash costs so much. People can’t afford to put all this stuff out in their trash. If they recycle, that reduces the trash bill.”
And not only does recycling save money, it also makes money.
Nearly half of Emmet County Recycling’s revenues come from the sale of recyclable materials to companies all over Michigan and other parts of the Midwest. The materials are then used to manufacture other products, from building insulation to manhole covers.
For example, cardboard goes to make more cardboard in Traverse City, paper milk and juice cartons go to the tissue factory in Cheboygan, plastics go to factories in Petoskey and East Jordan, tin cans go to East Jordan Ironworks and roof shingles go to the asphalt plant in Elmira.
“Our roads are paved with our recycled shingles,” Seltzer said laughing. “It’s great.”
Tom Teske, vice president and general manager at East Jordan Ironworks, said the factory buys copious amounts of scrap metal, much of it from the local recycling program.
“We’re a major recycler. We buy a tremendous amount of scrap metal every day from all over the Midwest, but we try to buy as much locally as we can. We try to buy everything Emmet County Recycling has,” Teske said.
He said local materials don’t have to be transported far and therefore come cheaper, too.
Revenues from the sale of such recycled materials more than doubled over the last 15 years. The program collected about $295,000 in 1995 and more than $690,000 in 2010, statistics show.
Seltzer said more recycling stuff is in the works, too.
The program looks to accept large plastic items in the future, such as lawn chairs, buckets, milk crates and laundry baskets, she said.
In Charlevoix County, the recycling committee hopes to eventually expand the program through additional drop-off sites and perhaps even achieve curbside pick-up for recyclers, Martin said.
More details about the recycling program are available online at www.emmetrecycling.org, or by calling (231) 348-0640.
Recycle electronics for free
HARBOR SPRINGS — Emmet County Recycling will now accept all electronics for free.
Some electronic equipment formerly would be accepted only with a small fee. That policy is history, said Elisa Seltzer, director of the Emmet County Department of Public Works, which administers the recycling program.
A $5 fee will remain to recycle large appliances, such as refrigerators or deep freezers, and a $25 fee must be paid to recycle appliances that still contain Freon.
Electronics and appliances can be taken to the drop-off center at 7363 Pleasantview Road in Harbor Springs. The facility is open between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays, as well as from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.
Visit www.emmetrecycling.org online or call (231) 348-0640 for more information.
