The City of Marquette will begin rolling out new recycling carts for residents next week as it officially launches its carted “single-stream” collection service.
With the single stream recycling program, sorting recyclable items is not necessary; residents are able to place all recyclable items directly into a new, larger recycling container. The 64-gallon carts will begin arriving at residents’ homes starting September 12th. 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.
The City applied for and received grants from Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and The Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit organization that works with city governments nationwide to transform their recycling programs. The City of Marquette was selected to receive grant support because of its dedication to advancing recycling in the community. The grants from EGLE and The Recycling Partnership, with support from the American Beverage’s Every Bottle Back initiative, will provide 6,100 new carts and includes funding for education and outreach about the new collection process.
The City of Marquette asks that residents continue to do their part by placing only recyclable materials in their carts, including aluminum and steel cans, paper products (including newspapers and flattened cardboard), and empty plastic bottles and containers. Glass will not be collected curbside but is eligible for recycling through drop off locations only. Glass drop-off locations include Waste Management at 910 W. Baraga Ave. and The Municipal Service Center at 1100 Wright Street. 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 include plastic bags, film plastics, paper towels, 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.
For more information on what can and cannot go into the cart, visit www.recycle906.com.
Residents can begin using their new carts immediately upon arrival.
To find your recycling day, plus answers to other Frequently Asked Questions, visit www.marquettemi.gov or contact the Public Works Department at 906-228-0444.
About The Recycling Partnership
At The Recycling Partnership, we are solving for circularity. We mobilize people, data, and solutions across the value chain to unlock the environmental and economic benefits of recycling and a circular economy. We work on the ground with thousands of communities to transform underperforming recycling programs and tackle circular economy challenges. We collaborate with companies to make their packaging more circular and help them meet their climate and sustainability goals. And we work with government to develop the policy solutions that will address the systemic needs of our residential recycling system. Since 2014, the nonprofit change agent diverted 500 million pounds of new recyclables from landfills, saved 968 million gallons of water, avoided more than 500,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and drove significant reductions in targeted contamination rates. Learn more at recyclingpartnership.org.
