Aug 25, 2016 | News
Area residents have two opportunities in September to recycle their unwanted televisions and computer equipment free of charge.
Thanks to a manufacturer-supported recycling program, Mid Michigan Waste Authority will not be charging residents who take part in the organization’s Tech Tuesday e-waste drop-off days on September 6 and 13. At previous collection days, residents paid a portion of the cost of recycling older-style televisions and computer monitors to help offset the expense of recycling these items.
MMWA’s e-waste partner, SVRC Industries, is working with a Michigan company that has secured a contract to provide up to 1 million pounds of free CRT (cathode ray tube) recycling through September 30.
Because this program is only available for a limited time, residents are encouraged to haul in those old tube televisions that are taking up space in many area basements or spare bedrooms.
“Communities across the country have cut their electronics recycling programs because CRT devices are so costly to recycle,” said MMWA Administrative Director Katharine Tessin. “This is a rare opportunity for us to help keep those items out of the landfill at no cost to the resident.”
Older CRT televisions made with glass contain an average of six pounds of lead, as well as other toxic substances like cadmium and mercury.
MMWA’s e-waste days will also continue to accept electronic items like keyboards, printers, mice, hard drives, flat screen monitors, cables, scanners, phones, tablets, and fax machines for free. To make the event entirely free, flat screen televisions will also be accepted at no cost.
Tech Tuesdays will be held from 9 am to 1 pm on September 6 and 13 at the Community Resource Recovery Center, 2063 S Miller Rd (between Ederer and Swan Creek Roads) in Saginaw. For more information, call (989) 781-9555 or visit www.recyclemotion.org.
Mid Michigan Waste Authority is a government entity providing comprehensive residential solid waste services to 70,000 households in 35 communities across the Saginaw Valley area.
Aug 18, 2016 | Service Updates
The upcoming Labor Day holiday does impact solid waste collection services provided to the 35 Mid Michigan Waste Authority (MMWA) member communities.
There will be no trash, recycling or yard waste collection provided on Monday, September 5, and the MMWA office will be closed in observance of the holiday.
With the holiday falling on a weekday, collection services will be delayed one day for every community the week of Labor Day, September 5. Residents should prepare and set out materials one day later than they normally do during the holiday week. For example, residents who live in a community with a Thursday collection day should put their materials out on Friday.
For more information, call the MMWA office at (989) 781-9555.
Aug 11, 2016 | News
It is estimated that about 9 million Americans use sharps and syringes to manage their medical conditions at home, which adds up to about 3 billion injections outside of traditional healthcare facilities per year. Those who are unaware of safe needle disposal methods may be tossing loose needles in their trash cans or recycling bins, posing a serious risk of injury and infection to collection workers, neighbors, children, and pets.
Mid Michigan Waste Authority has launched Be Smart with Sharps, a new educational campaign aimed at preventing accidental needle stick injuries to sanitation workers, and anyone else who comes into contact with curbside refuse materials. Flyers have been distributed to local pharmacies, dialysis centers, and other healthcare clinics treating patients who may use needles at home.
“We are concerned about the health and wellbeing of our collection workers, but this really is a broader public safety issue,” said Mid Michigan Waste Authority Administrative Director Katharine Tessin. “Sharps can carry communicable diseases such as HIV and hepatitis, and if they are loose in curbside trash or recycling, they are a danger to everyone who is passing by.”
The campaign builds on the work MMWA has been doing since 2014 to help educate residents about how to safely dispose of their sharps. When trash and recycling collection workers observe loose needles in curbside materials, the resident at that address is sent proper disposal guidelines, including the Be Smart with Sharps flyer.
While there are laws and regulations governing medical waste generated by health care facilities, there are no such regulations for the disposal of household-generated needles. The good news is, it’s not difficult for residents to safely prepare sharps for disposal in their curbside trash. It takes just a few simple steps to make the needle disposal process safe for everyone.
Proper containment includes using an empty rigid plastic receptacle, like a laundry detergent container, to hold used needles. Once the container is 2/3 full, it should be tightly closed and sealed with masking or duct tape. Clearly write “SHARPS” on the container in large letters, and discard along with trash, not recycling.
Residents with questions about disposing of sharps in their household trash should contact MMWA at (989) 781-9555 for more information.
Mid Michigan Waste Authority is a government entity providing comprehensive residential solid waste services to 70,000 households in 35 communities across the Saginaw Valley area. To learn more about MMWA, visit www.recyclemotion.org.
