F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)
How does WRRMA affect me if I live in one of the member communities?
WRRMA members all contract with waste and recycling services individually. Continue to recycle and dispose of items as your municipality has instructed you to (check out our recycling resources page to make sure you’re up to date).
Why did you form a waste authority?
A regionalization study conducted by Resource Recycling Systems in 2017 found many municipalities in Washtenaw County had similar solid waste needs for their communities. These were improved education and outreach, a materials recovery facility (MRF) for sorting recycling, and drop-off stations (DOS) for hard-to-recycle items. These needs are best tackled from a regional level. Representatives from multiple municipalities met with Washtenaw County staff and a legal counsel many times before WRRMA was incorporated to create a shared vision and discuss goals and objectives. This culminated in a drafted set of Articles of Incorporation for WRRMA, then adopted by seven charter municipalities.
Are there other waste authorities?
Some of the nearby authorities you might be familiar with include Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority (WWRA), South Oakland County Resource Recovery Authority (SOCRRA), and Resource Recovery and Recycling Authority of Southwest Oakland County (RRASOC).
How do I pronounce "WRRMA"?
We've been pronouncing it "warm-ah".
How do I recycle [insert specific item here]?
WRRMA's member communities are all still in the waste services contracts they previously held before WRRMA was formed. We've compiled some recycling resources for you (choose "recycling resources" from the menu above), so check there first! If you still cannot find your item, try using a more generic search term, utilizing the recycling databases found on the resources page, or contacting your waste hauler or recycling provider directly.
Why is recycling different sometimes?
What you can recycle depends on where your recycling goes when its picked up. A recycling hauler collects recycling and brings it to a processing center called a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). The machinery installed at a MRF is what dictates what can be recycled there. If the MRF doesn't have processing equipment that can handle separating glass, for example, your recycling hauler might not accept glass as a recyclable.
Recycling is also not static. It can change due to markets and other factors that influence the economy. MRFs need to find buyers for the end product of recycled materials. Many of these are processors that will turn the recycled materials into new product. Processors can move, close, open, or shift what they produce just like any other business. When a MRF loses a market for an item, some can store bales of the item while they search for new buyers, while others do not have the space to do so. It's best to stay aware of any changing requirements from your recycling hauler or municipality.
Recycling is also not static. It can change due to markets and other factors that influence the economy. MRFs need to find buyers for the end product of recycled materials. Many of these are processors that will turn the recycled materials into new product. Processors can move, close, open, or shift what they produce just like any other business. When a MRF loses a market for an item, some can store bales of the item while they search for new buyers, while others do not have the space to do so. It's best to stay aware of any changing requirements from your recycling hauler or municipality.
Have a question not answered here? Send us a note through our contact page.
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Recycling Hotline (734) 222-3920
Email recyclewrrma@gmail.com |
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