Curbside Recycling

**lukabottle** · July-31-11, 08:07 PM

Does anyone live in one of the Detroit neighborhoods with curbside recycling? I was recently writing a paper about the Incinerator and I used to volunteer for Recycle Detroit. I am curious if those participating are happy with the services. With Detroit's current budget issues, I don't see it expanding any time soon.

My paper is finished. This question is more so for curiosity's sake.

Pittsburgh has curbside recycling. This summer I have been living in a student area and I am shocked by how many students don't recycle. Out of 12 apartments in my building, I am the only one who recycles.

**Hypestyles** · August-01-11, 09:22 AM

my neighborhood isn't covered.. I hope the program eventually expands to all neighborhoods.. how can the main city trash dump be converted to a recycling center?

**DetroitPlanner** · August-01-11, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

my neighborhood isn't covered.. I hope the program eventually expands to all neighborhoods.. how can the main city trash dump be converted to a recycling center?

The City does not have a dump. You can bring recyclables to your nearest DPW yard during certain hours.

**preserve** · August-03-11, 12:40 PM

There are also recycle centers, the one I use is at Holden & Trumbull, also one at the State Fair.

DetroitPole · August-03-11, 12:48 PM

I live in the eastside area with curbside. I am very happy to have the service and have never had a problem with it.

They don't accept glass, though, which is a pain. I'm not sure why, but I guess maybe to deter scavangers from searching for deposit bottles and making a mess or broken glass.

**JBMcB** · August-03-11, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPole

They don't accept glass, though, which is a pain. I'm not sure why, but I guess maybe to deter scavangers from searching for deposit bottles and making a mess or broken glass.

Not a lot of money in recycled glass, and it's heavy. Metal scrap is worth much more. Paper and plastic much less so, but still worth more than glass.

The economic breakdowns I've read say that metal is the only thing - cost, materials and energy-wise - that's worth recycling. Plastic and paper, and especially glass, are made from easily replenished resources, and require a lot of energy to reuse.

**jsmyers** · August-03-11, 01:11 PM

It might be that glass is not as valuable/important to recycle. You save a lot of energy by recycling metal, plastic, and paper. You save trees, ore, oil, and landfill space as well.

Recycling glass only saves sand, a bit of energy, and landfill space.

Just a guess.

**Hypestyles** · August-03-11, 01:47 PM

what does the recycle pick-up truck look like?

DetroitPole · August-03-11, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

what does the recycle pick-up truck look like?

It is a CoD garbage truck, oddly enough. It made me suspicious a while back that they were just dumping the stuff, but then I got confirmation from a board poster that it does in fact go to a recycling facility.

**Parkguy** · August-04-11, 01:04 PM

I live in the west side area-- around Rosedale Park. The pilot project was supposed to last a year, but it was extended for another year. I think everyone on my block recycles. Pickup is twice a month. Our bins are different from the ones they use on the east side, I think. Ours are just like the Courville dumpsters used for trash, but they have a blue top. My experience has been totally positive. We hardly have any actual trash anymore! We also have a nonprofit recycling program once a month-- Rosedale Recycles-- that has a drop off at Christ the King Church on Grand River. We set aside our glass and drop it off there. We've done that for years, so it is no big problem, but it would be nice to have the city pick it up.