New Michigan technology assists residents with recycling items the correct way.

Sometimes, an item just feels like it should be thrown in the recycling bin. But you may not be guessing right. And that can cause big problems for local recycling programs.

Recycling plastic, paper or glass is easy. But when it comes to batteries, you may need to look a little harder.

Ann Arbor center will bring out your inner artist

Ann Arbor City Council voted unanimously to recognize the day as a city-recognized holiday in May 2021.

Sometimes, an item just feels like it should be thrown in the recycling bin. But you may not be guessing right. And that can cause big problems for local recycling programs.

Recycling Dos and Don'ts.

Sometimes, an item just feels like it should be thrown in the recycling bin. But you may not be guessing right. And that can cause big problems for local recycling programs.

The holidays came and went, and so did the ribbon, bows, wrapping paper and all that packaging.

If you are wondering what to do with your Christmas tree after the holiday season, there are many Metro Detroit cities that are offering to recycle your used tree.

Recycle your old tennis balls in bins at four parks and courts.

Ann Arborites have approved a new millage that will boost sustainable and clean energy initiatives over the next 20 years.

Ypsilanti Township will receive an investment to boost its recycling program.

Fjällräven on downtown’s Main Street has won the 2022 Waste Reduction and Recycling Award.

Some familiar faces have been posted around Michigan Stadium to teach fans the do's and don'ts of recycling.

See which city services will be impacted by the Labor Day holiday.

The communitywide recycling initiative was set to end on Friday, Aug. 6, but will now end one week later on Aug. 12.

The city’s annual Feet on the Street cart-tagging program will come to an end on Friday.

The City of Ann Arbor is launching a new initiative to educate residents on what you can -- and can't -- recycle.

Some city services will pause for the July 4 holiday.

If this year’s gardening has resulted in a collection of plastic flower pots and trays sitting in your yard or garage, good news: you can recycle them at Meijer stores.

Some city offices will be closed in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.

The Memorial Day holiday will impact several city services.

Recycling plastic, paper or glass is easy. But when it comes to batteries, you may need to look a little harder.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy have reported that Michiganders’ recycling rate is up 35.4%.

When it comes to climate change and environmental issues, it might feel like a lot to wrap your head around: The problems are so widespread and complex -- so if you’ve ever thought to yourself, “What can one person even DO?”, you’re likely not alone.

Recycle Ann Arbor put together a guide to help you have a zero waste holiday.

See which city services will be paused during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Friday marks Earth Day, and according to data released by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2018, the recycling rate in the U.S. was 32.1%, down from 34.5% in 2015.

Washtenaw County offers Clean-Up Days to its residents each year to help them safely dispose of unwanted household items and waste.

City government offices will be closed twice in November due to Veterans Day and the Thanksgiving holiday.

The vehicular scavenger hunt will take teams all around Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

Safely get rid of household items and waste at Saturday's event.

If you see people rummaging through your recycling cart this summer, don’t be alarmed.

If you’re known to blindly toss anything paper or plastic into the recycling bin, you’re probably not alone.

Not everyone knows how to recycle the right way, and so, unfortunately, a significant portion of recycled items don’t even end up getting recycled at all.

On the week of Earth Day a group of Michigan leaders has announced the state's $97 commitment to funding recycling efforts statewide.

More people are recycling in Michigan and across the country. Curbside pickup is a great convenience, but are you recycling the correct way?

New legislation introduced in the Michigan Legislature aims to expand the state’s “Bottle Bill,” and to modernize the state’s recycling system. Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) and Rep. Christine Morse (D-Portage) introduced legislation to update the 40-year-old bill, proposing an expansion of items allowed. Senate Bill 167 and House Bill 4331 would expand the state’s current 10-cent deposit on certain soft drinks, beer, and other carbonated beverages to all other non-carbonated beverages, except for milk containers. The proposed bills would also:Permit universal redemption, allowing consumers to take any recyclable bottle to a large store while allowing smaller stores to maintain smaller takebacks. ”Michigan’s four decade-old ‘Bottle Bill’ was an innovative approach to promote recycling and prevent littering,” said Sen. McCann.

Don’t fret: The end of Christmas can mean a new beginning for your Christmas tree through recycling. After the holidays are over, many cities offer pick up or drop off services for Christmas tree recycling. Here’s a list of some Christmas tree recycling options available to Metro Detroiters:Note: In order for a tree to be recycled, it must be bare of any decorations or accessories that are not naturally part of the tree. Royal OakResidents can leave undecorated Christmas trees at their curb for pick up during the first two weeks of January. If your city is not offering a Christmas tree recycling service, you may be able to drop off your natural tree at a local compost facility.

ANN ARBOR – In mid-November, it was announced that Recycle Ann Arbor received significant investments to rebuild its materials sorting facility that had been closed since 2016. Recycle Ann Arbor came up with the rest in the largest-ever fundraising effort for the 40-year-old organization. CEO of Recycle Ann Arbor, Bryan Ukena, said the new state-of-the-art facility will eliminate the need to send the city’s recyclables across state lines. Recycle Ann Arbor will be using the shell of that building for its new facility, and will install all new equipment. The land is owned by the city, and Recycle Ann Arbor has a ground lease to lease the land and outer building.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. The Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority has won a $125,000 grant from The Recycling Partnership and the Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes, and Environment. The grant will support WRRMAs goal of reducing recycling contamination, improving the long-term sustainability of local recycling systems and increasing the recycling rate of member communities. We know from experience that educating residents to recycle the correct way is key to creating and sustaining successful recycling programs for WRRMAs member communities in Washtenaw County, said Martin. According to the release, approximately 30-35% of the materials currently recycled by Washtenaw County residents in WRRMAs service territory are contaminated by non-recyclable items like food waste and plastic bags. In other US cities, the TRP tagging program has shown a 20-40% decrease in recycling contamination.

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. When Michigan Gov. READ: Heres everything thats reopening today in Michigan after COVID-19 shutdownIve never drank so much pop, resident Marlon Cook said. Cook and hundreds of others lined up at the Kroger in Sterling Heights, eager to get rid of their cans. If you have hundreds of cans at home, you will likely have to make multiple trips to the store. At the Kroger in Sterling Heights, residents can only return $25 worth of cans at a time.

DETROIT Michigan stores can start accepting bottle and can returns, effective immediately, according to state officials. Bottle and can returns have been shut down in Michigan due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. All supermarkets with bottle return machines are required to start accepting returns by June 15, but the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced Friday that stores can start doing so immediately. Establish special or limited hours of operation for bottle returns. Periodically close bottle deposit facilities as needed for cleaning and supply management.

OXFORD, Mich. For many people across Metro Detroit their garage is becoming overwhelmed by all the bottles and cans they cant return to the store amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. READ: With bottle and can returns on hold, Michigan recyclers worry about massive backlogThe Oxford Police Department is hoping some people wont mind donating their cans and bottles to help a good cause. Watch the video above for the full story.

DETROIT – A woman hit a clerk with a bag of empty cans and bottles last week because she couldn’t return them during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Detroit police said. She asked the clerk if she could cash in the empties. When the clerk told her bottle returns were suspended because of COVID-19, the woman became upset and struck the clerk with one of the bags, police said. Police are looking for the woman, who is described as black and about 40-50 years old. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Detroit Police Department’s 7th Precinct at 313-596-5740 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.