Curbside recycling officially began yesterday in the City of Westland.
Members of the city council approved a 2-year contract with Republic Services to process recyclables in the city during their regular June 1 meeting.
Westland suspended curbside recycling program in 2019 due to rising costs associated with a change in the global recycling market, according to officials. In March, Westland voters approved a sanitation millage to help fund the popular program that serves 25,000 single-family homes in the city.
Residents were asked to maintain good habits during the suspension of the program in order to provide a seamless transition when it was reinstated. Residents will utilize the blue bin they currently have and collection days will not change, according to a report from city officials. The recycling pick up schedule can be found at www.cityofwestland.com.
Information regarding acceptable recycling materials, such as cardboard, paper, metal cans, plastic bottles and jugs, and those which are not accepted can be found at www.recyclingsimplified.com. One change in the program is that the new program does not accept glass recyclables. Republic Services has also emphasized the need for materials to be empty, clean and dry. This ensures that recyclables are properly prepared and reduces contamination in recycle loads, officials said. Residents are also asked to not bag items, as plastic film is one of the greatest contributors to contamination and damage to recycling centers.
“Westland residents have taken pride in our Mission: Green goals of creating a sustainable community for future generations, having already recycled approximately 100,000,000 pounds of materials,” commented Mayor William R. Wild.
“We greatly appreciate the patience and understanding while the city worked to navigate the extreme global changes in the recycling market.”
