BAY CITY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Residents of Bay City will finally be able to rid their neighborhoods of certain recyclables after the New Year when the fully-automated recycling collection service begins. 

Starting Jan. 2, recyclable materials including aluminum and steel cans, empty plastic bottles and containers, food and beverage cartons, glass bottles and jars, and paper products (such as newspapers and flattened cardboard) can be left in special bins for pickup.  But to help limit contamination, those who recycle are asked to give food and drink containers a quick rinse and then place them directly into the recycling cart.  

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A collection map shows that bi-monthly collections of recyclable materials schedule will begin in less than a month, and that there are Red and Yellow zones to denote when particular areas of the city will have their waste collected.  Residents should have received new 96 gallon carts between Dec. 12 and 23 which replaced the previous smaller bins and have wheels now for “easy maneuvering and attached lids to keep recyclables dry and secure.”  

“The recyclables collected from Bay City are delivered to a transfer station in Saginaw where they are combined with other recyclables from other communities,” Bay City said in a statement, “From there, they are sent to a Republic Services Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Southfield and/or New Boston.” 

According to Bay City it was selected to receive grant support for the new recycling can program for its “dedication to advancing recycling in the community” from The Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit organization that works with city governments nationwide to transform their recycling programs.  The grant with the support from the American Beverage’s Every Bottle Back initiative has provided 15,000 new carts to residents with funding towards education and outreach about the new collection process. 

“American Beverage is excited to continue our recycling efforts with the most recent Every Bottle Back investment in Bay City, Michigan,” President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American Beverage Katherine Lugar said in a statement, “Through this meaningful partnership we are able to provide the new and improved recycling infrastructure needed to increase local collection rates, reduce the amount of plastic in the environment and improve the overall quality of life for Bay City residents.”

Bay City will be the beneficiary of $240,000 from the beverage industry and nearly $1.2 million in community and state funds for the expansion of recycling services.  Estimates predict that the new program will bring in more than 28 million pounds of new recyclables into the collection stream, including more than 1.1 million pounds of PET plastic and 427,500 pounds of aluminum.  Every Bottle Back has previously invested in Ann Arbor, Marquette County, Ypsilanti Township, and Trenton.  

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For additional or replacement City recycling bins, visit this online portal to have it delivered on the next service day.