Recycle Ann Arbor

05/29/2026

Gather your documents for the live shredding event happening tomorrow at the Drop-Off Station📍2950 East Ellsworth Rd! The event will run from 9 AM to 12 PM on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend arriving early. The event may conclude before noon if the trucks reach full capacity. Please note that the last vehicle allowed on the road at 12 PM will be the cutoff. Customers can continue to use our regular shredding services after the noon cutoff, but it will not be with the live truck.

This shred event is open to residents and businesses in Washtenaw County and beyond for a fee, while current and valid Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, and Ypsilanti DOS passholders can participate for free.

For event details, please visit our website at the link below🔻.

https://www.recycleannarbor.org/divisions/drop-off-station/services/other-services

05/22/2026

We're one week and one day away from our Live Shred Event at the Drop-Off Station!

Join us on Saturday, May 30th, from 9 AM to 12 PM @ 2950 East Ellsworth Rd
🟨 $6.00 per grocery bag
🟦 $8.00 per banker's box
✅ $3.00 residential gate fee to enter (this fee also allows you to recycle all your traditional recyclables on the same day)
Credit cards only.

Open to the general public for a fee and FREE to all Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, and Ypsilanti current DOS passholders. You can shred up to five regular-sized banker boxes of paper documents and stay on-site to watch as your documents are loaded into the shredder.

For more details about the event, please visit our website at the link below🔻
https://www.recycleannarbor.org/divisions/drop-off-station/services/other-services

05/21/2026

We had a big week last week! We were both surprised and honored to receive the 2026 MRC Award of Excellence during the award presentation at the 2026 Michigan Recycling Coalition Annual Conference!!! We have an amazing team of dedicated individuals at RAA who work tirelessly across all 5 of our divisions to support our mission-driven recycling efforts. We are truly grateful for this recognition.

Congrats to Recycle Ann Arbor for winning a 2026 Michigan Recycling Coalition Award of Excellence! 🏆

Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA) was founded in 1977, led by a few University of Michigan volunteers, who soon began collecting recyclables from households in Ann Arbor. This work marked the beginning of the country’s fourth ever curbside recycling program, and the first to ever launch in Michigan. As they approach their 50th anniversary, Recycle Ann Arbor's commitment to the mission is as strong as ever.

What's unique about RAA is its commitment to community-based, mission-driven recycling. As one of just a handful of nonprofit recyclers left in the country, and a co-founder of the of Mission-Based Recyclers, RAA keeps materials local and ensures they're marketed for their highest and best use.

For nearly five decades, RAA has invested millions in circularity infrastructure, implementing programs like a comprehensive drop-off station and a recovery yard for construction and demolition materials. In 2023, they purchased 17+ acres of property to develop into an EcoPark, which will provide community access to reusables, refillables, and repair opportunities.

We were proud to present this award to Bryan Ukena, CEO & Director of Recycle Ann Arbor, during the MRC’s 44th Annual Conference.

05/19/2026

All Recycle Ann Arbor divisions will be closed on Monday, May 25th, with no curbside recycling service in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Curbside recycling pick-up will be shifted by one day next week, with routes running Tuesday through Saturday. The Drop-Off Station will be OPEN with regular hours both Friday, the 22nd, and Saturday, the 23rd.

05/11/2026

We are proud to be a sponsor of the Michigan Recycling Coalition 44th annual conference, taking place this week!! You can catch Recycle Ann Arbor at booth #15 in the exhibit hall both Tuesday and Wednesday. Our Assistant Operations Manager, Zalika Rivers, will be participating in Wednesday's panel titled "Not Just 'Garbage Duty': Stories from the People Who Make Recycling Work," which will wrap up the event. Don't miss it! We look forward to seeing you there!

05/08/2026

Join us for a live document shredding event ♻️ at the Drop-Off Station!

👉 Saturday, May 30th - 9 am to 12 pm
📍 2950 East Ellsworth Rd

This event is open to residents and businesses in Washtenaw County and beyond for a small fee. It is FREE for current and valid Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, and Ypsilanti DOS passholders.

Live shredding offers a secure way to recycle your personal and tax-related documents while protecting your private information.

For more details about the event, please visit our website at the link below🔻
https://www.recycleannarbor.org/divisions/drop-off-station/services/other-services

05/06/2026

Join a nationally recognized leader in zero waste recycling programs! We are hiring for a Semi-Driver/Recycling Processor who will be responsible for hauling recyclables, construction debris, and other similar materials to and from various residential, commercial, and industrial sites using semi-tractors, trailers, roll-off trucks, and roll-off containers.

When not driving, you will assist with heavy equipment operation and/or recyclable material processing. This position involves entering and exiting a heavy-duty tractor, truck, or heavy equipment numerous times each day.

Benefits include: Full-time union position, paid time off, full medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k with employer matching, employer-paid life insurance, short/long term insurance, and more!

If you are looking to join a team that makes a meaningful impact on the environment and in the community, we want to hear from you! Apply today! 👉 https://www.recycleannarbor.org/join-us/job-openings

05/01/2026

Attention Students! Are you in the process of moving out and have usable stuff you don't need/want? Don't throw it in the trash, find a drop-off location near you and give your clothing, household items and furniture a second life. Nonperishable food also accepted!

Find more information at

An annual program to encourage students to reuse or donate items rather than throwing them away during move out times.

04/28/2026

🙌

Michigan’s recycling rate has reached a record high for the fifth year in a row as state officials credit expanded access to recycling programs and increased public education.

04/23/2026

As we continue our Earth Day week celebration, we want to introduce our newest teammate at our zero waste MRF. 👋 Meet our new AI sorting robot.

With support from an EGLE grant, this AI sorting robot joined our container line, working alongside our trained sorters to improve material recovery. This robot uses machine vision and two robotic arms to identify and pick specific packaging types at a speed of up to 45 picks per minute; aluminum cans (UBC), PET bottles, and both natural and colored HDPE that sometimes slip through the first sort.

Now a few months on the job, it's still in training, but we are already seeing a real lift in recovery rates and improved quality across all three material streams. That matters because our entire approach at the MRF focuses on quality. The cleaner the bales we produce, the higher the value of the material, and the greater the chance of it will be recycled back into the same type of product rather than downcycled or lost. Watch it in action: