Mid Michigan Waste Authority - Get Into Recycle-Motion!

Household Special Waste

Many common products used in and around the home contain ingredients that can cause harm to humans and the environment. Over 5 million poisoning exposures occur annually in the U.S., with approximately 92% of them occurring at home. The majority of pollution problems associated with landfills are caused by household hazardous waste that is trashed by residents.

MMWA is striving to provide member residents with an outlet for properly disposing of problematic household materials that include household cleaners, automotive waste products and cleaners, lawn and garden products, pool chemicals, hobby chemicals, mercury, lead, household and automotive batteries, fluorescent tubes and bulbs, and propane tanks.

One-day drop-off events are organized at sites large enough to efficiently handle the hundreds of cars that drive through with materials for this free program. MMWA strives to provide this program twice each year.

The Authority held an HSW collection event on Saturday, June 26 in the North parking lot of Arthur Hill High School. 735 cars were serviced at the event, representing 810 households. Habitat for Humanity ReStore Saginaw was also on-site at the event to collect possibly reusable paint and captured approximately 256 gallons.

Preliminary data shows approximately 82,318 lbs. of material was collected at the event, which was opened an hour early and stayed open an extra hour to service cars already lined up to enter the event. That equates to an average of 102 lbs. per household, which is almost double the national average. Given the very high turnout and high poundage of materials, the budget for programming does not allow for another event in 2010 without transferring funds from other line items.

A postcard publicizing disposal programs for problem wastes programs available by MMWA and County entities was mailed the week of the HSW event to all Saginaw County residents. The increased participation at the June event is attributed to the timing of the postcard mailing, with 33% of attendees noting the postcard as their notification of the program. The second highest number of residents, 25%, saw the print ad in the Saginaw News, and 12% saw the Fox 66 Green Team report on the Thursday evening news.. Customary publicity outlets were used to promote the event, including print advertising in the Saginaw News and Great Lakes Bay magazine, Township Times, Birch Run/Bridgeport Herald, Tri-County Citizen, The Review Magazine, Word Up Magazine and on placemats used in area Saginaw restaurants.

Radio advertising was broadcast on Joe FM, The Bay, KCQ Country and WHEELZ. Several television publicity outlets were used: Fox66 and WNEM TV5 both featured the event, Fox 66 in its Green Team news report, and WNEM TV5 ran a promo. Additionally, as a means of no-cost promotion, a press release was issued which generated a number of news stories and event details were posted to on-line community calendars, flyers were distributed to member communities, public libraries and area organizations. A new method of electronic advertisement occurred on MLive.com for 2 days leading up to the event. The MLive.com advertising was targeted to Saginaw County users only. Temporary outdoor signs were utilized in Saginaw Township, Thomas Township and Birch Run Township along with a first-time electronic billboard along M-46 in Thomas Township.

MMWA has also been partnering with Saginaw County Department of Public Health on plans for a possible permanent HSW/Community Resource Recovery Center. If this project is fully developed and funded, MMWA will switch to being a partner in the center and its programming, serving as the publicity/information/education developer and administrator, working with Public Health on technical program design and development while Public Health serves as the program operational partner.