For Immediate Release
City of Trenton Rolls Out New Single-Sort Recycling Program
June 22, 2022: Trenton, Michigan – The City will begin rolling out new recycling carts for residents next week as it officially launches its “single-stream” collection service.
With this new recycling program, sorting recyclable items is no longer necessary; instead, residents will be able to place all recyclable items directly into a new, 95-gallon recycling container. The 95-gallon carts will arrive at residents’ homes next week and residents can begin setting out their new carts beginning the week of July 11. The carts will launch a new residential recycling collection program and come with wheels for easy maneuvering and attached lids to keep recyclables dry and secure.
The City applied for and received grants from The Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit organization that works with city governments nationwide to transform their recycling programs, and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Trenton was selected to receive grant support because of its dedication to advancing recycling in the community. The grant from The Recycling Partnership helped pay for 6,102 new carts and includes funding for education and outreach about the new collection process.
“The Recycling Partnership, with support from the American Beverage’s Every Bottle Back initiative, is excited to work with Trenton to improve the community’s recycling program,” says Cody Marshall, Chief Community Strategy Officer, at The Recycling Partnership. “The new program will improve resident’s access to recycling, support local jobs, and capture materials needed to make new products and packaging.”
The City asks that residents continue to do their part by placing only recyclable materials in their carts, including glass bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans, food and beverage cartons, paper products (including newspapers and flattened cardboard), and empty plastic bottles and containers. To help limit contamination, give food and drink containers a quick rinse and then place them directly into the recycling cart—no sorting needed.
Some items that cannot be recycled include plastic bags, paper towels, electrical equipment, batteries, and clothing. These items often get mixed into recycling carts because of “wishcycling,” or the hope that they can be recycled. While well-intentioned, non-recyclable items cause serious issues.
Recycling collection will take place every other week on your regular trash day. To find the schedule, learn what can and can’t go into the cart, and get answers to other Frequently Asked Questions, visit trentonmi.org or contact the Department of Public Works at 734-675-8470. We will also be hosting a Q&A session on June 28th from 6-8pm at the Westfield Activities Center located at 2700 Westfield Rd.
About The Recycling Partnership
At The Recycling Partnership, we are solving for circularity. We mobilize people, data, and solutions across the value chain to unlock the environmental and economic benefits of recycling and a circular economy. We work on the ground with thousands of communities to transform underperforming recycling programs and tackle circular economy challenges. We work with companies to make their packaging more circular and help them meet their climate and sustainability goals. And we work with government to develop the policy solutions that will address the systemic needs of our residential recycling system. Since 2014, the nonprofit change agent diverted 500 million pounds of new recyclables from landfills, saved 968 million gallons of water, avoided more than 500,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and drove significant reductions in targeted contamination rates. Learn more at recyclingpartnership.org.
Kevin Sargent, Department of Public Services Director