Recycle, MI - Michigan Recycling Coalition - MRC

08/06/2026

08/06/2026

At Recycle Here, a donated garden decoration named Snart helped manager Zech A transform his outlook on sustainability and community.

Like other recycling center managers, Zech spends much of his day sorting through contamination and preparing materials for compaction. He never viewed Recycle Here’s free store, The Junk Hole, with much reverence. But after he laid eyes on Snart’s weathered stone face, Zech–and others familiar with The Junk Hole–began to see circularity in a different light.

Zech recognizes that recycling doesn’t just involve flattening boxes, baling plastics, and crushing glass–it’s a playful, generous, living ecosystem. After all, Zech knows first-hand that sustainability works best when people truly want to participate.

Hear Zech’s story ⬇️

07/29/2026

While working in the garbage industry, Shawn Blackwell didn’t always recognize waste as a resource. That all changed when he took a job hauling food scraps for Spurt Industries.

By traversing city streets and country roads to pick up scraps from bright green bins, Shawn learned to appreciate the ways in which composters like Spurt Industries transform organic waste into something new.

Shawn, with two decades of waste management experience, moved to Michigan without many connections. Now, he works at a place that feels like home, and for people that feel like family.

Hear Shawn’s story!

07/23/2026

What breeds circular innovation? To Brittany Tremayne, experimentation & determination are essential–they’re the tools she used to help PADNOS develop their first ever electronics recycling program.

Brittany–a college student at the time–didn’t expect to dismantle PCs and hand-sort discarded electronics during her summer job at PADNOS. But that’s exactly what she ended up doing, and she became one of the first on the PADNOS team to chart a path forward for electronics recycling. Today, the scrap giant readily recycles electronics at many of their locations.

Hear Brittany’s story!

07/08/2026

Once you learn how recycling really works, you understand why the rules are so important!

From sorting recyclables to educating residents at the drop-off center, Zalika Rivers spoke at the MRC’s 44th Annual Conference to share her unique perspective as an Assistant Operations Manager at Recycle Ann Arbor’s Zero Waste Material Recovery Facility.

Zalika grew up an avid recycler, but only fully understood the harm of “wishcycling” after she began working on the sort line. If they remember that hardworking humans touch and sort every object sent to the MRF, Zalika believes that people may think twice before taking food waste, batteries, or other contaminants to the curb or to the drop-off center.

Watch the video to hear Zalika’s story!

Photo & video credits to Recycle Ann Arbor.

07/06/2026

Seven billion sharps are discarded in the trash every year causing injury to upwards of 850,000 people (FDA.gov).

𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 throw loose sharps in the trash or recycling.
𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 use a sharp safe container for storing and disposing of used sharps.
𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 flush sharps down the toilet.
𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 keep sharps and medications out of reach of children.

Free sharps containers may be available through your doctor, hospital, health insurance or medication supplier. You can also buy one from your pharmacist or online. If you are unable to get a sharps safe container, you can make your own with an empty container made of heavy duty plastic, like a laundry soap container. Your homemade container should have a tight fitting lid, be able to stand upright, and have no leaks. Fill the container no more than two thirds full. Once the container is full, tightly close the lid, tape it shut and label the container “Sharps Biohazard” with a permanent marker.

You can throw the container away in the regular trash as long as it is in either a sharps safe container or a hard plastic container that is sealed shut and labeled. Sharps are not recyclable. Never place a sharps container or loose sharps in the recycling bin.

You can bring your sharps container to a sharps disposal program like the annual household hazardous waste collection event at the Barry County Fairgrounds, the third Saturday in May or to a participating drop off location. Additionally, many pharmaceutical companies offer mail back programs, learn more at safeneedledisposal.org.

For more information and a detailed list of disposal sites visit www.barrycounty.org/barrycountyrecycles/sharps_and_medical_waste.php

07/02/2026

It’s picnic season! 🧺🏖️ If you're planning a getaway to the lake or a snack at the park, keep these tips in mind to have a sustainable outdoor meal.

07/01/2026