Recycling & Waste
Solid Waste Collection Bid Proposals
VBT SOLID WASTE COLLECTION FAQ
VIEW THE VBT RECYCLING GUIDE BY CLICKING HERE
HOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE EVENT FLYER HERE
Click here for the 2023 trash and recycling guide
SOLID WASTE UPDATE July 2023
As promised, here is a follow-up for all residents who participated in the solid waste public engagement.
The Township Board awarded our solid waste collection bid to Waste Management (WM) in April.
We have been working for the past few months to negotiate a final contract with WM. The final contract was approved by the Township Board in June. I wanted to highlight some items in the contract as well as some other efforts which have been completed by the Township.
Solid Waste Service Fees: The Township Board approved the 2023 fees for solid waste services. The total 2023 annual cost for regular households receiving container service in the Township will be $165.84. This fee will be split between the summer 2023 and the winter 2023 property tax bill and homeowners will see a $82.92 itemized fee on each tax bill. This fee equals $13.82 per month which is under the $14 per month fee which we discussed during our public engagement meetings.
Solid Waste Collection Ordinance Update: In May the Township Board adopted an ordinance update which gave the Township the ability to enter into a solid waste collection contract. In addition to this it established some responsibilities for the solid waste contractors, it prohibits some unauthorized methods of disposal of solid waste, establishes requirements for vehicles, and established some rules regarding how long residential containers can be placed at the curb. Under the ordinance, containers can only be at the curb 24 hours before the pickup day and have to be removed 24 hours after the pickup day. Please keep in mind if you live in a subdivision that has a homeowner’s association, this timeframe may be different.
Purchasing Additional Trash Containers: In order to acquire an additional container for trash service, residents will be required to pay an additional monthly fee directly to WM of $6 per month/per can. WM controls the cost of the rental fee. As we have previously discussed, any household that has already purchased a second trash container will not be charged a monthly fee from WM.
Recycling Containers: The recycling containers for all Township residents have been ordered by WM. Due to delays in production, we do not anticipate those containers being delivered until late summer or early fall. Sixty-four (64)-gallon containers for recycling will be distributed at no additional charge to all households in the Township who do not already have them.
Acceptable Curbside Containers: Removal of all solid waste at curbside will be done mechanically. Due to this only WM containers will be acceptable for trash and recycling pick up. Trash bags can no longer be placed on the ground. Cardboard that has been broken down will be acceptable next to the recycling container. Yard Waste will be picked up manually and can be placed in brown paper bags or 32-gallon containers with yard waste sticker.
Cart Swap Timeframe: There will be a six (6) month amnesty period starting after the delivery of the recycling container where residential units can request a container switch (i.e. swap a 64-gallon recycling container for a 96-gallon container, or 96-gallon trash container for a 64-gallon trash can). This time period will start after the delivery of the recycling container. Please contact the Township at 734-699-8926 or via email at jprice@vanburen-mi.org if you are interested.
Bulk Items/White Goods: Starting July 1, WM will be accepting 1 single bulk item per week curbside. Please contact the Township at 734-699-8926 or via email at jprice@vanburen-mi.org to schedule this collection.
Landfill Pass: Annual Landfill passes are available at the Township Hall Monday-Thursday 7am-5pm
Trash Pickup
Van Buren Township has a five-day trash pickup system Monday through Friday. Please see the map below for a breakdown of what areas in the township receive trash pickup on which day of the week.
HOLIDAYS OBSERVED
New years day
memorial day
4th of July
labor day
Thanksgiving day
Christmas day
Waste Management Services will be delayed by one day during that week.
Recycling Facts & Information
YARD WASTE STICKER GUIDELINES
Yard Waste pickup BEGINS the first full week of April and ENDS the last full week of November.
LEAVES AND GRASS CLIPPINGS
Leaves and grass clippings may either be placed in paper compost bags purchased at your local grocery store or placed in a trash can with a compost sticker. Compost sticker must face the road. Do not use plastic bags!!
If you are using a can, it must have a yard waste sticker. Face the sticker toward the street and place the container 10 feet from your garbage. It should not be any larger than a 32 gallon can. 50 lb. limit. (Limit of 30 cans per week)
Please be sure that all yard waste is set out at the curb tied and bundled, in the appropriate container, and properly labeled.
BRUSH
Bundle all brush whose branches are less than 6” in diameter. Bundles must not weigh more than 50 lbs. Bundles must be no longer than 4 feet in length and 18” around. Brush larger than 6” in diameter must still be bundled, however, it is considered trash and will be picked up as such.
If your trash, yard waste, or recycling is not picked up by 4:00 p.m. on your regularly scheduled day, please call (734) 699-8926.
Compost season ends the last full week in November - no compost will be taken at the curbside after that date.
Large quantities of trash or remodeling materials will NOT be picked up at the curbside. As a Van Buren Township resident, you have the option to utilize the Woodland Meadows Landfill located on the south side of Van Born Road, just west of Hannan Road (see map below). The citizen drop-off area is located on the south side or back of the site. All vehicles entering the site must check-in at the gatehouse. Landfill ll hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.
Guidelines for utilizing the Woodland Meadows Landfill under the Van Buren resident agreement with Waste Management are listed below:
- You MUST obtain a free landfill punch card from the Community Services Office, located at 46425 Tyler Road in order to utilize the landfill as a Van Buren Township resident. To obtain a landfill punch card you must provide proof of residency (i.e. current driver’s license). The punch card entitles you to twenty-four (24) free trips per year. Only one card per address per year will be issued by the Township.
- A valid photo ID with a matching address must be presented with the punch card at the time of disposal.
- This free dumping privilege cannot be extended to contractors or commercial vendors. Commercial vehicles will be refused entry or must pay for disposal of waste.
- Each punch on the Landfill Pass is worth up to 4 cubic yards, if over 4 cubic yards per trip the card will receive an additional punch(es) based on the size of the load. To calculate cubic yards you can use the following formula: Length (ft.) x Width (ft.) x Height (ft.) divided by 27 = cubic yards.
- Yard waste (compost, leaves, etc.) must be separated from household waste.
- White goods will not be accepted at the Landfill. White goods are any appliance that does or once did contain Freon (A/C units, Refrigerators, and Dehumidifiers).
- Scrap tire disposal is limited to eight (8) tires annually.
- Recycling is also available at the citizen drop-off area
If you have any questions, please contact the Community Services Department at (734) 699-8926.
While the Township does not have direct regulatory authority over most air quality issues, our staff has been trained to collect complaint information and transmit these concerns to the appropriate agency. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) handles most air quality concerns in the State of Michigan. The MDEQ regulates the emissions from industrial facilities, monitors odors from waste disposal facilities, and has specific guidelines for open burning.
If you notice an air quality concern, such as a strong odor emanating from a facility in the Township, or a large amount of smoke, don't hesitate to get in touch with the Township Department of Community Services at (734) 699-8926 during normal business hours (7:00 AM – 5:00 PM), Monday to Thursday or the Department of Public Safety at (734) 699-8930 outside of normal business hours. Township staff will then forward that information to the MDEQ or the appropriate agency for follow-up.
We recommend purchasing a square-shaped bin as round bins tend to roll into the road during inclement weather. And we suggest residents add their address numbers to the outside of their bin. For more information call 734-699-8926.
Recycling has economic benefits. It supports industries involved in collecting, processing, and manufacturing recycled materials, creating employment opportunities and fostering economic growth. It also reduces costs associated with waste management, making recycling a financially viable and sustainable solution.
In 2018, U.S. residents, businesses, and institutions produced more than 292.4 million tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), which is approximately 4.9 pounds of waste per person per day.
One of the ways to manage MSW is by recycling. Recycling diverts items such as paper, glass, plastic, and metals from the waste stream. Another way is by composting.
Simply, materials that are not reused, recycled, or composted—in other words, things you throw away in the dumpster—will go to the landfill and combustion facilities.
EPA has ranked the most environmentally sound strategies for MSW. Source reduction (reuse) is the most preferred method, followed by recycling and composting, and lastly, disposal in combustion facilities and landfills.
According to EPA, the United States currently recovers, recycles, and composts 30 percent of waste, burns 14 percent at combustion facilities and disposes of 56 percent in landfills.
Next time when you throw away garbage, think about the time needed for the materials to ‘biodegrade’ (Biodegradation is the decomposition of organic material by microorganisms). Some materials are biodegradable, and some don’t. Look at the table below:
| Product | Time to biodegrade |
| Cotton rags | 1-5 months |
| Paper | 2-5 months |
| Rope | 3-14 months |
| Orange peels | 6 months |
| Wool socks | 1 to 5 years |
| Cigarette filters | 1 to 12 years |
| Plastic coated paper milk cartons | 5 years |
| Leather shoes | 25 to 40 years |
| Nylon fabric | 30 to 40 years |
| Tin cans | 50 to 100 years |
| Aluminum cans | 80 to 100 years |
| Plastic bags | 450 years |
| Plastic 6-pack holder rings | 450 years |
| Glass bottles | 1 million years |
| Plastic bottles | Forever |
Recycling is one of the simplest thing we can do that would benefit the greater community, environment and economy so my team is reaching out to share this resource to as many people as possible. I believe we share this same purpose and that our guide fits right in line with your mission as an organization/agency. Check out this solid waste recycling and disposal guide by clicking here.
To build the pile, follow these steps:
- Start with a layer of organic materials such as shredded leaves, grass, or other garden debris. For an ideal composting mix-use twice as much carbon material (leaves)as nitrogen material (grass clippings)
- Water the layer until it is as moist as a wrung-out sponge.
- Add 2″-3″ of soil or compost — to provide microorganisms.
- If possible, mix all materials together as you build the pile.
- Continue the process of adding organic materials, soil, and water until the bin is filled. Add grass clippings in small amounts and mix in thoroughly.
- Water each layer…and check moisture periodically. Build the pile to a size of 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet or slightly larger — or fill the compost bin.
Turning the pile
Turning and mixing the compost pile with a pitchfork or compost turner adds oxygen, prevents odors, and accelerates the rate of decomposition. The pile may be turned once a week, once a month, several times a year, or not at all. If the pile is turned over and mixed from time-to-time and kept moist, finished compost is usually available in six to nine months.
(Source: Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project)
For more information:
Compost Resource Page.
- Michigan residents generate enough garbage each day to fill the Pontiac Silverdome.
- The average American throws 3 – 5 pounds of trash away daily. That is one billion pounds of waste each day in the U.S.
- Americans make up 5% of the world's population and create 50% of the world's garbage.
- The nation's overall recycling rate has grown from 11% to 27% over the past 10 years.
- Americans throw away enough office and writing paper annually to build a wall twelve feet high stretching from Los Angeles to New York City.
- Every Sunday in a major city, more than 500,000 trees are used to produce the Sunday newspaper
- A ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 24 gallons of gasoline, 464 gallons of oil, and conserves 3.5 cubic yards of landfill space. Some of the end products created from plastic bottles include piping, garbage bags, park benches, t-shirts, carpet, and filling for sleeping bags and ski jackets.
- Every glass bottle recycled saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours.
- In Michigan, 90% of aluminum deposit cans are currently recycled.
- Aluminum recycling is so successful the industry estimated that each can sold at an average store will be back on a store shelf within six weeks.
- Each year, steel recycling saves enough energy to meet the electrical power needs of the City of Los Angeles for more than eight years.
- We throw away enough iron and steel to continuously supply all the nation’s automakers.
Appliances that are safe for curbside pick up would be defined as hot water heaters, washers dryers, fridges (anything with freon), freezers, stoves and/or dishwashers.
Waste Management requests that all residents who want an appliance picked up from their curbside should contact that township at 734.699.8926 the day before their normal trash day. The township will then notify Waste Management.
