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Oakland County planning staff seek approval for 2025 North Oakland household hazardous waste interlocal agreement
Summary
Committee recommended the interlocal agreement to continue NOHAS collections in 2025; staff said the program collected more than 500,000 pounds last year across four events and serves 17 communities this year, with a mix of cost-share arrangements and some fees for nonmember residents.
The committee voted to recommend approval of the 2025 North Oakland Household Hazardous Waste interlocal agreement (NOHAS), which coordinates household hazardous waste collection events for member communities.
Kristen Wilkane, planning staff, and Whitney Talio, principal planner, briefed the committee on the program. Talio said NOHAS began in 2003 and that in 2024 the program held four collection events with 3,733 residents participating and “collected just over a half a million pounds of materials.” She said electronic equipment and latex paint are the two largest categories by weight, and that 31% of attendees at last year’s events reported using NOHAS for the first time.
The committee was told 17 communities participate this year via 13 interlocal agreements plus four villages. Talio outlined four planned collection sites: Pine Knob Music Theatre on April 12, Oxford Middle School, Kensington Church in Orion and one on the county campus. She said member communities pay for the program and some set nominal user fees while others cover the full cost for residents. Nonmember residents can participate for a stated fee (this year $135 for the nonmember rate was cited).
Committee members asked about medical collections and controlled substances; Talio said NOHAS accepts many prescription medications but not controlled substances, which should be taken to law enforcement “operation medicine cabinet” collections. She said the program has an online registration system to speed intake and that brochures and outreach are used to direct residents to appropriate options. Talio said sponsorships offset community costs and that member communities typically provide staff or elected volunteers to help at events.
The committee approved the interlocal agreement recommendation by a 5-0 vote. Staff said the program is part of a longer materials-management planning process intended to increase consistency and access to recycling and hazardous-waste disposal across the county.
Talio also noted the county’s materials-management planning effort is underway and that a formula grant from the state will fund the first-year work; that grant item was discussed elsewhere on the agenda.
