Recycle Ann Arbor to begin charging $3 at Drop-Off Station

Recycle Ann Arbor will begin charging a $3 per vehicle fee for those entering the Drop-Off Station at beginning of next year, the non-profit organization announced Monday.

The fee is necessary to continue the operations after Washtenaw County, the city of Ann Arbor and Pittsfield Township officials decided not to renew funding support at the end of this year. A previous contract between the 3 municipalities and Recycle Ann Arbor provided $87,500, said Recycle Ann Arbor Chief Executive Officer Melinda Uerling.

The Drop-Off Station, located on 2950 East Ellsworth, currently accepts paper, corrugated cardboard, mixed containers like glass jars and miscellaneous items like household batteries and plastic grocery bags for no fee.

Those who visit the Drop-Off Station for compost or mulch purchases will not be charged.

The station will offer 2 discount options, including a punch card for 10 visits that will cost $25 and a punch card for unlimited visits for $75 that will also offer a 5 percent discount off trash disposal service. There will still be a charge for recycling items like car tires or fluorescent light bulbs.

With the loss of municipal funding and with a decline in market values for recylables, it became impossible to avoid charging some sort of fee for recycling, Uerling said.

"Some people will likely find it's a change that's difficult to manage," Uerling said. The hope is regular users will receive the change with understanding that "without it, we cannot continue to operate this service," she said.

Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.

Tags: recycling