Yankee Springs residents are now bringing their items to be recycled to the recycling station in the parking lot of  the township hall at 284 North Briggs Road. Some of the features of the just opened facility are a PaperGator that accepts newspapers and magazines, a receptacle for metal only, and another bin for glass, bottles, plastics and cardboard that goes to Kent County for recycling.

Supervisor Mark Englerth said he had input about  the facility from many sources including Hastings Charter Township Supervisor Jim Brown, whose township has a new cutting-edge recycling center. “One size does not fit all,” he said. “We needed something to fit our needs. We had plenty of partners and companies to help us deliver a more efficient direction of the revenue stream.”

Grants from the Barry County Solid Waste Oversight Committee and the Barry County Foundation helped with the initial costs, bringing the cost down to about half of $6,500, or $3,200.

The PaperGator proceeds and the sale of metals will help keep costs low. Unfortunately, there is no market for glass.”

“We have three goals: reduce the cost of the service, generate income and encourage people to recycle.” A three-page brochure is being created to let residents know what officials are doing, how they are doing it and ways the citizens can help.

“Without the residents working with us, it makes the struggle much harder,” he said.

Photos:

upper left: The PaperGator accepts paper for recycling.

lower left:The recycling station for township residents at the Yankee Springs Township Hall.