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Recycling, hazardous-waste updates and volunteer cleanup plans highlighted
Summary
Staff and commissioners reviewed recycling stats and household hazardous-waste trends, noted new volunteer cleanup activity from Western students and community groups, and reminded commissioners of upcoming river cleanup and Earth Day events.
City staff and commission members reviewed recent waste and recycling program activity, household-hazardous-waste trends and community cleanup initiatives.
Why it matters: Recycling and hazardous-waste programs affect city operations, public health and volunteer engagement. Commissioners discussed program metrics and community partnerships that expand capacity for litter and invasive-species removal.
Chris Broadbent and staff provided a monthly snapshot: 607 customized feedback mailers were sent to address recycling-placement errors, 33 new recycling carts were added, and the household hazardous-waste facility processed a notable amount of material (reported as 1,059 pounds in the meeting). Staff also noted 159 tons of recyclables processed in the reporting period.
Staff said recycled shredded paper can now be accepted in curbside recycling if it is contained in grocery or paper bags, an operational change coordinated with the city’s recycling processor and noted in Recycle Coach. Commissioners discussed an invitation to the household hazardous-waste program director to present results from 2024; staff said the director could give a short presentation covering surprising items collected and safety issues (including lithium-battery concerns and an example that required a bomb-squad x-ray).
Commissioners reported growing volunteer activity: a Western Michigan University student group has formed to conduct trash cleanup, and community organization Trash Love KZU runs a regular monthly cleanup that recently collected about 60 contractor bags in a single event. Commissioners said coordinated volunteer efforts could be paired with data collection to target education or cleanup resources where litter concentrations are highest.
Staff and commissioners also highlighted two upcoming events: an Earth Day rally (noted for April 18, noon–4 p.m., start at Kalamazoo College to Western) and a Kalamazoo River cleanup on the weekend in April (two days: Riverfront Park on the 12th and Verburg Park on the 13th, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.). Commissioners encouraged members and residents to participate in river cleanups and invasive-species removal activities.
Ending: Staff will schedule follow-up briefings with the household hazardous-waste director and share metrics and mission/goals documents for the waste subcommittee ahead of the next meeting.
