April 19, 2021 Marquette, MI– Marquette Township will begin rolling out new recycling carts for residents next week as it officially launches its “single-stream” collection service.
With this new recycling program, sorting recyclable items is no longer necessary; instead, residents will be able to place all recyclable items directly into a new, larger recycling container. The 96-gallon carts will begin arriving at residents’ homes the week of April 26. The carts will replace the smaller bins currently used for residential recycling and come with wheels for easy maneuvering and attached lids to keep recyclables dry and secure.
Marquette Township applied for and received a grant from The Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit organization that works with city governments nationwide to transform their recycling programs, in addition to a grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). The township was selected to receive grant support because of its dedication to advancing recycling in the community. The grants from The Recycling Partnership and EGLE helped pay for approximately 1,550 new carts and includes funding for education and outreach about the new collection process.
With the recent grants to Ishpeming and Marquette Townships, The Recycling Partnership has partnered with three Marquette County communities to expand recycling access, participation, education.
“We are excited to see the commitment of Marquette Township to making it easier for members of the Marquette County community to recycle by providing new, lidded, rolling recycling carts,” said Jill Martin, Director of Community Programs at The Recycling Partnership. “This exciting collaboration is improving access to recycling and demonstrates that Upper Peninsula townships recognize the tremendous value in wasting less and recycling more. We are grateful to the American Beverage Association for partnering with us to fund this important initiative to increase critical recycling access and participation, which will support local jobs, save taxpayers money, protect the environment, and keep the UP’s waterways clean and beautiful.”
Marquette Township asks that residents continue to do their part by placing only recyclable materials in their carts, including aluminum and steel cans, food and beverage cartons, paper products (including newspapers and flattened cardboard), and empty plastic bottles and containers. To help limit contamination, give food and drink containers a quick rinse and then place them directly into the recycling cart—no sorting needed.
Some items that cannot be recycled curbside include plastic bags, paper towels, pizza boxes, electrical equipment, batteries, and clothing. These items often get mixed into recycling carts because of “wishcycling,” or the hope that they can be recycled. While well-intentioned, non-recyclable items cause serious issues. Glass also cannot be recycled curbside, however it can be brought to the North Country Disposal transfer facility located at 83 Eagle Mills Road in Negaunee. Marquette Township residents can bring their glass and drop off for free during the first Wednesday rubbish day. Non rubbish day drop offs will be charged 5 cents a pound with a $10 minimum.
For more information on what can and can’t go into the cart, visit https://marquettetownship.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Recycle-Cart-FAQ-Sheet.pdf
Residents can begin using their new carts beginning the week of May 3.
To find your recycling day, plus answers to other Frequently Asked Questions, visit www.marquettetownship.oror contact us at 906-228-6220.
About The Recycling Partnership
The Recycling Partnership is a national nonprofit organization that leverages corporate partner funding to transform recycling for good in states, cities, and communities nationwide. As the leading organization in the country that engages the full recycling supply chain from the corporations that manufacture products and packaging to local governments charged with recycling to industry end markets, haulers, material recovery facilities, and converters, The Recycling Partnership positively impacts recycling at every step in the process. Since 2014, the nonprofit change agent diverted 230 million pounds of new recyclables from landfills, saved 465 million gallons of water, avoided more than 250,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and drove significant reductions in targeted contamination rates. Learn more at recyclingpartnership.org .