Jun 6, 2016 | News
As Americans prepare to observe the Flag Day and Fourth of July holidays, Mid Michigan Waste Authority is reminding area residents to properly dispose of their old, unserviceable United States flags.
MMWA, which provides residential curbside waste collection services to 35 communities in the Saginaw Valley, encourages flag owners to follow the United States Flag Code, which outlines how to respectfully retire an unserviceable American flag.
When an American flag becomes soiled, faded and tattered, it should be destroyed, preferably by burning, according to the code. Flags should not be disposed of in trash or recycling.
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) directions for proper flag disposal include folding the flag in its customary manner, then placing it in a fire large enough to ensure complete burning of the flag. Individuals can come to attention, salute the flag, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and have a brief period of silent reflection. After the flag is completely consumed, the fire should be safely extinguished and the ashes buried.
Nylon flags should not be burned, as they will produce toxic gases, and people should be sure to follow local fire codes and ordinances.
Some local veterans’ organizations offer drop-off boxes that make it easy for area residents to drop off worn flags for proper disposal. Two local drop-box locations include the VFW Post 1566 at the corner of Cass and Oakley streets in Saginaw, and the American Legion Post 212 bin in front of Ed Rehmann and Sons Clothing, 151 W Broad St., Chesaning. Flags collected in Chesaning will be retired in a special Flag Day ceremony on June 14 at 7 pm at the post, 15053 McKeighan Rd., Chesaning.
For additional flag disposal instructions and options, visit https://www.recyclemotion.org/guidelines/other/.
May 31, 2016 | News
Area residents will have more opportunities than ever this summer to safely dispose of their troublesome household wastes, including paint, household chemicals and electronics. Mid Michigan Waste Authority’s problem waste program has expanded to include five to six drop-off days per month.
The program, which is offered free of charge to residents of Saginaw County, Bethany Twp, Village of Breckenridge and Wheeler Twp, has also been retooled to reflect the county’s problem waste disposal needs.
“When we reviewed the data from our 2015 household special waste events, the first thing we noticed was that paint made up nearly two-thirds of the materials collected,” Katharine Tessin, MMWA Administrative Director, said. “We want to be responsive to the county’s needs, so this year we are offering three days per month solely devoted to paint collection.”
Electronics and hazardous waste will also get their own days, Tessin said, to make the drop-off experience quicker and easier for residents.
All events will be held from 9 am to 1 pm at MMWA’s Community Resource Recovery Center, 2063 S Miller Rd, Saginaw, located at the SE corner of Miller and Ederer Roads in James Twp.
The 2016 MMWA household special waste schedule is as follows:
Tech Tuesdays
9 am – 1 pm
First two Tuesdays of each month:
June 7, June 14
July 5, July 12
Aug. 2, Aug. 9
Sept. 6, Sept 13
What to bring: computers, printers, laptops, phones, keyboards, scanners, cables & cords, hard drives, mice, tablets, televisions, computer monitors and fax machines
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.
Paint Wednesdays
June 8 and 15, and then first three Wednesdays, July – Sept.
9 am to 1 pm
June 8 and June 15
July 6, July 13, July 20
Aug 3, Aug 10, Aug 17
Sept 7, Sept 14, Sept 21
What to bring: latex paint, spray paint, acrylic paint, oil based paint, stain/varnish, and caulk
HOUSEHOLD Hazardous Waste
9 am – 1 pm
Fourth Tuesday of each month June-Sept:
June 28, July 26, Aug 23, Sept 27
What to bring: motor oil, fluorescent bulbs, gasoline, lawn/garden chemicals, antifreeze, glues & adhesives, mercury, lead acid batteries, wiper fluid, misc cleaners, kerosene, degreasers, acids, metal cleaners, aerosols and smoke detectors
On hazardous waste days, residents can also drop-off unused, unwanted or expired medications for proper disposal. Only prescription and over-the-counter medications are accepted: no needles or sharps.
Residents who possess unknown or unlabeled wastes should call MMWA to schedule a special appointment. Unknown chemicals or substances should not be brought to any drop-off events.
For safe preparation and transport of problem wastes in your vehicle, please follow these guidelines: Keep chemical products in original containers whenever possible. Do not mix products together. Be sure all containers are tightly sealed, and placed in sturdy boxes in an upright position. Never transport leaking or open containers. Containers up to five-gallon in size will be accepted, but containers cannot be returned. Business and school wastes, explosives, household batteries, ammunition, tires, and asbestos are not accepted.
Residents should bring only accepted materials on the appropriate day. For example, paint and household chemicals cannot be accepted on an electronics collection day.
For more information, call MMWA at (989) 781-9555 or visit www.recyclemotion.org.
Apr 4, 2016 | News
Mid Michigan Waste Authority will host its annual Earth Day celebration on Sat., April 23, 2016, from 10 am to 2 pm at the Children’s Zoo at Celebration Square in Saginaw. This annual environmentally-themed event promises a fun-filled day for children of all ages and their families. To make the festivities even more appealing, MMWA is offering free admission to the first 400 people who bring a recyclable beverage container.
The eco-experience starts at the entrance gate with a visit to the Waste Management recycling truck, as zoo visitors turn in their recyclable containers. Inside the zoo, MMWA and more than a dozen community partners will offer free resources, games, activities, a recycling-themed scavenger hunt, educational exhibits and trash-to-treasure crafts in the event area near the horse barn. All children’s activities are free, thanks to sponsorships from Waste Management and Roberts, Boehler, and Fisher, PC.
Participating organizations include the Saginaw Valley State University Greenhouse, Habitat for Humanity Restore, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Consumers Energy, Saginaw County Parks and Recreation, Saginaw County Department of Public Health, Goodwill Industries of Mid Michigan and many more.
New to this year’s event is the free Protect Our Planet live show that will be performed in the zoo amphitheater at 11 am and 1 pm. Zoo visitors should save their seats early for this entertaining and educational show presented by Dynamic Assemblies. The performances are generously sponsored by ReCommunity Recycling.
Free tote bags made from recycled plastic bottles will be given away to children ages 13 and under while supplies last.
To make the day even more eco-friendly, residents can drop off their unwanted electronics at the SVRC Industries truck in the zoo parking lot from 10 am to 2 pm. Accepted items include desktop computers, laptops, mice, printers, fax machines, cables, keyboards, televisions, and more. There is a $20 charge for televisions with 48” screens and smaller and a $40 charge for those over 48”. A complete list of acceptable electronics is available at www.svrcindustries.com or by calling (989) 752-6176, ext. 2144.
For visitors who do not arrive in time for the free admission, entrance to the zoo is just $5 per person, and free for infants 11 months of age and under. The zoo is located at 1730 S Washington Avenue in Saginaw.
To learn more about MMWA and the Earth Day event, call (989) 781-9555.
