Extra effort is needed to recycle your glass

The WWRA Recycle bins that serve residents in Manchester Township are located at the township hall, 275 N Macomb St. Photo by Marsha Chartrand

submitted by Sybil Kolon

After the recycling bins were moved behind the township hall, there were complaints about noise from the glass being thrown into the separate glass compartment. To resolve that issue, the township asked the Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority (WWRA) to no longer bring bins with a separate glass compartment. While that noise problem has been resolved, our ability to ensure our glass is recycled has been diminished.

Although the signs on the bins indicate that glass can be placed with other items for single-stream recycling, the reality is that much of that glass does not get recycled. For those willing to make the extra effort, glass can be placed in other recycling bins in other communities served by the WWRA where bins with separate glass compartments are available: Chelsea (across from the fairgrounds on Old Manchester Road) and Bridgewater (Austin and Boettner Roads) are the closest to Manchester.

More than 10 years ago the WWRA committed to supporting single-stream recycling and invested in new equipment. This move significantly increased the volume of materials recycled because people didn’t need to sort recyclables anymore. The problem with glass is that it is subject to breakage. When the bins are dumped near the conveyor, everything falls onto a concrete floor. Glass gets broken.

The conveyors that feed the recycling line are not designed for glass. Glass can cause significant damage to the conveyor belts. To address this problem, the WWRA kept the glass compartments in many of their bins. This allows the glass to be unloaded separately, into its own bin, just for glass.

When glass breaks before it gets to the conveyor, it is added to the trash along with any other contaminants. While this recycled glass can be a resource for other uses, the reality is that few markets have been developed to utilize it. The WWRA is committed to recycling. You can be sure that they are recycling everything they can. Contamination with incompatible materials can jeopardize that effort.

Most materials have a market value and the WWRA has a good track record of getting the best price from dealers that do recycle what WWRA recovers. In the case of glass, however, there is no buyer at this time. Currently the WWRA is paying a hauling fee to have the glass picked up and trucked to Chicago.

The recycling bins at the township hall are provided as part of a $55 per household special assessment paid by Manchester township homeowners. Dexter, Lima, and Lyndon townships and the City of Chelsea are also members and pay the same special assessment. Bridgewater Township is an associate member. The City of Manchester along with Sharon and Freedom townships have not been members of the WWRA since the change to single-stream recycling.

You can learn more about the WWRA on their website: https://wwrarecycles.org/

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.