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Conservation district reports $700,000 in recycling infrastructure upgrades and expanded services
Summary
Kelly, materials management program manager for the Van Buren Conservation District, presented the district's annual materials-management report and an infrastructure grant update, saying grant funds upgraded seven community recycling sites and expanded year-round services.
Kelly, materials management program manager for the Van Buren Conservation District, presented the district—s annual materials-management report and an infrastructure grant update to the Van Buren County Board of Commissioners—Committee of the Whole on Oct. 28.
Kelly said the district hosted three large recycle-roundup events during the last fiscal year, serving more than 600 households and collecting what she described as "26,000 pounds of hazardous waste" and "825 pounds of foam." Year-round services collected roughly 84,000 pounds of electronics and expanded tire-drop sites countywide. "We were able to serve over 600 households with 26,000 pounds of hazardous waste," she told commissioners.
She described a multi-agency infrastructure grant (an Eagle recycling infrastructure award plus funding from The Recycling Partnership) that funded upgrades at seven community collection sites in the county. The combined project value was described in presentation slides as roughly $700,000 with smaller community matches; Paw Paw was the largest single site upgrade, described as a ~$301,000 project. Other sites received new concrete pads, signage, fencing and containers to enable year-round recycling and improved accessibility.
Commissioners asked about styrofoam (EPS) recycling and battery collection. Kelly said she was following up with partners to add styrofoam drop-off locations and reiterated available auto-battery recycling options (retail takeback and metal recyclers) and library drop-off stations for smaller batteries. She also said the district won a $5,000 technical-assistance award to support planning and sustainable funding strategies.
Kelly told the board the district hopes to restore large tire-collection "one-day" events if budget conditions allow and described ongoing public-education plans, including tours of a materials-recovery facility and a recycling blog on the Van Buren Conservation District website. Commissioners encouraged more public education and in-person tours to help residents understand what happens to collected materials.
Ending: The presentation was informational. Commissioners did not take separate action on the program report at the meeting; staff will continue grant reporting and planning for 2026 events.
