Welcome to the Office of Recycling and Green Community Programs

The Office of Recycling and Green Community is charged with managing waste reduction, recycling and hazardous waste disposal in Monroe County.  The recycling and green community coordinator is responsible for communicating with local municipalities in orchestrating recycling events and hazardous waste disposal days.  Please feel free to contact the office of Recycling and Green Community Programs for any questions regarding your concerns with household hazardous waste and recycling.

The Division of Environmental Health is calling on you to help make recycling efforts in Monroe County the best and most affordable to all.  To that extent we ask  that you sort your recyclables accurately as to ensure the materials will be recycled.  Many who faithfully store up their recyclables in anticipation of a successful contribution to a greener environment are denied that hope because of those who use the bins as rubbish collection sites.  We must provide a clean source of materials or the collections may prove fruitless.  

The following links offer more information:

Battery Recycling 

Cell Phone Recycling
CFL Recycling

Drop Off Recycling

Earth Day

Electronic Waste

Household Hazardous Waste
Medication Disposal

Mercury Thermometers

Motor Oil

Our Water 

Paper Recycling
Tire Recycling

Phone Book Recycling
Yard Waste   

Green Monroe County is now on

Join us to follow any new information we post. 

Commercial Recycling Survey-A recycling and a solid waste data management tool  

 Ecoville - Monroe County - Your on-line destination for local recycling

                                                  and sustainability information.  

 Solid Waste Resource Guide

 Michigan Green Schools Challenge

Is your school GREEN?  Would you like to achieve green status with recognition from the Governor of Michigan?  Take part in the Michigan Green Schools Program. 

Schools which become an official Michigan Green School will receive a flag, certificate signed by the Governor and be recognized at the Monroe County Earth Day Celebration.  If your school has already been established as an official Michigan Green School in the past, you need to reapply as green status is designated on an annual basis.  Start planning now -- applications are due to Jamie Dean by March 1, 2014. 

Green, Emerald or Evergreen School Michigan Green School Application in pdf or word

Congratulations to the Green Schools 2013! 

Phone Book Recycling Program

Monroe County-area schools, led by Summerfield Elementary, collected more than 16 tons of outdated telephone directories in the third annual YP Project ReDirectory^® phone book recycling school challenge. 

The eleven participating schools collected 16.05 tons of directories, an increase from last year’s 12.43 tons. Summerfield Elementary collected the most, 7.7 tons, earning them the top prize of $400.

Prizes totaling $1,700 were awarded by YP, the local search, media and advertising company which offers the Monroe County YP Real Yellow Pages^SM, the YP.com^SM site, and the YP^SM app.

The complete results from this year’s challenge are:                

Monroe County Solid Waste, Republic Services and YP joined forces again this year to coordinate and administer the recycling effort. 

Earth Day 2013  

Monroe County Earth Day Expo 2013 

The Monroe County Earth Day Expo will be held April 20th in downtown Monroe at Loranger Square on April 20th from 10am-2pm.  Earth Day Expo is a great opportunity for the entire family to learn about living green in Monroe County from various Monroe County organizations and businesses.  If your group or business has a green message to share please contact Ms. Dean at jamie_dean@monroemi.org.  Exhibitor space is free and registrations will be accepted until March 25, 2013.  Please contact Ms. Dean for additional information.

This year's event will feature an award ceremony for local Michigan Green Schools, yoga and tai chi in the park, a sidewalk art contest for children sponsored by the Monroe Downtown Development Authority, collection of old shoes ($2 per pair to cover shipping costs) and collection of old cell phones for Cell Phones for Soldiers, sponsored by Martin's Shoe House and the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, bubble making with Monroe's own Bubble Lady, tours of Lake Erie Transit's hybrid bus, and much more.

This event is open to the public.  Visitors to the expo are also eligible to win great prizes including a La-Z-Boy chair donated by La-Z-Boy, a tablet computer, a bike and more.  Free refreshments are also available during the event.

Come learn about living green in Monroe County.

 RecycleNOW LOCATIONS AND TIMES

RecycleNOW bins are now located at the following locations on the designated days:

Dundee Kroger, 571 East Monroe St., Dundee, 8 am - 4 pm - 1st Tuesday of the month
St. Joseph Church, 2238 Manhattan Rd., Erie, 8 am - 4 pm - 2nd Tuesday of the month
Meijer, 1700 North Telegraph Rd., Monroe, 8 am - 4 pm - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Wednesday of the month
Monroe Township Hall, 4925 E. Dunbar Road, Monroe, 8 am - 4 pm - 2nd Saturday of the month
St. Paul Lutheran Church, 9144 Lewis Ave., Temperance, 8 am - 4 pm - 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month

The following items can be recycled at the RecycleNOW locations: types 1 and 2 plastic, glass, aluminum, tin and license plates.  Newspapers are accepted at the Monroe and Lambertville Kroger locations only. These sites only accept containers that held food, beverages, detergent or bleach.

To find out dates, locations and what materials to recycle view the Recycle Now February through April 2013 Flyer.

Household Hazardous Waste Collections

Household Hazardous Waste Collection events are scheduled for 2013.  To view more information on Household Hazardous Waste, including what can be accepted at a collection, please visit the Household Hazardous Waste page.  The dates and locations for 2013 are as follows:

May 11 - 8am-noon,  Berlin Township Fire Department, 8473 Swan Creek Rd., Newport

June 12, 3-7 pm, Bedford Township Hall, 8100 Jackman Rd., Temperance

August 14, 3-7 pm, Monroe Multi-Sports Complex, 333 North Dixie Hwy., Monroe

September 28, 8am-noon, Bedford Township Hall, 8100 Jackman Rd., Temperance

Tire Collection 

The Monroe County Solid Waste Program assisted with collection of over 2,300 passenger tires during the only tire collection event scheduled for the 2012 calendar year.  If you have passenger tires, tractor/trailer tires or farm implement tires that you would like to recycle, you can contact Jason Childress at 734-240-7900 for information on where these can be properly disposed during the normal course of the year.  

There will be a one day event later in the spring.  It is a requirement that you complete registration prior to this event.  The dates of the registration are as follows:

Registration Required - April 1 - April 29

Registration is now closed

Limit of 7 tires per household

Medication Waste Disposal

Nearly 4 billion prescriptions are filled in the United States every year, and it has been estimated that as much as a third of the dispensed medication is unused -- leading to potentially 200 million pounds of pharmaceutical that could adversely affect the environment if disposed of improperly.  Studies have demonstrated that pharmaceuticals are present in our nation's waterways, and further research suggests that certain drugs may cause ecological harm.  In addition, leaving unwanted medications around the house presents a danger to children, guests and pets.  Reducing access to prescription medication is a strategy to address prescription drug abuse among community youth.  Proper disposal of pharmaceuticals at medication take back events or drop off locations are one way that you can protect the environment and your family. 

Red Med Bin Program for Medication Waste Disposal

Residents now have access to disposal of expired or unwanted medications at 6 locations through the Red Med Bin disopsal program. This is an expansion of a medication collection program which began in 2009.  

Accepted materials include unwanted or expired prescription and over the counter medicines, medication samples, cold and flu medications, unopened epi-pens and veterinary medications.  Please bring all medicines in their original containers with personal information blacked out.  No sharps of any type will be accepted.  Other unaccepted items include personal care items such as soaps and shampoos, empty containers, thermometers and used epi-pens.  (Mercury thermometers can be accepted at the following pharmacies: Macomb Pharmacy located at Mercy Memorial Hospital, Medicinne Shoppe Pharmacy in Lambertville and Monroe County Health Department in Monroe.) 

Red Med Bin Locations (Please call ahead for hours of operation if not listed below):

City of Monroe Police Department

Monroe Post of the Michigan State Police - Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Monroe County Sheriff Office Bedford Substation

Erie Township Police Station

Village of Dundee Police Station - Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. -5 p.m.

Village of Carleton Police Station - Open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 a.m.

Monroe County Solid Waste CFL Recycling Program

You can recycle your CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs at several locations around the county.  For more information on CFL bulbs and the impact these have on energy savings and the environment, where to recycle and how to clean up a broken bulb, please read the Monroe County CFL Flier. 

Monroe County CFL Recycling Locations:

Dundee Ace Hardware – 545 E. Monroe St., Dundee
Lambertville Do it Best Hardware – 8100 Secor Rd., Lambertville
St. Pierre Ace Hardware – 1490 Stewart Rd., Monroe
Baker’s Ace Hardware – 905 N. Dixie Hwy., Monroe 
Banas Hardware – 8771 Ida-Maybee Rd., Monroe  
Petersburg True Value Hardware – 64 Saline St., Petersburg

 Collection Site for Electronic Waste

The Monroe County Solid Waste Program and the Habitat for Humanity Restore are partnering to offer collection of electronic waste on an ongoing basis. The Restore will be accepting computer systems, monitors, CPU's, printers, keyboards, peripherals, laptops and televisions. The Habitat for Humanity Restore is located at 840 LaPlaisance Road in Monroe. They will accept materials from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday, they are closed on Sunday and Monday.  Since the inception of the program, over 900,000 pounds of electronics have been recycled.  For questions, please contact the Restore at (734) 243-1108 or the Monroe County Recycling and Green Community Program Coordinator at (734) 240-7909 or visit this page.   

Paper Shredding Events*

Dates for Secure Document Shred Events for 2013 are as follows:

August 14, 3-7 pm, Monroe Multi-Sports Complex, 333 North Dixie Hwy., Monroe

September 28, 8am-noon, Bedford Township Hall, 8100 Jackman Rd., Temperance

*There is a limit of 100 pounds per vehicle.

 ENVIRONMENTAL FUND GRANT PROGRAM

The Monroe County Environmental Fund is a grant program to provide resources to foster the development of a sustainable community; enhance, restore or protect natural surroundings; promote utilization of green technology and planning tools; and progress environmental stewardship in Monroe County.

Environmental Fund Grant Scoring Guidelines (pdf) 

Environmental Fund Grant Proposal Budget (pdf)

Environmental Fund Grant Proposal Budget (Word document)

Environmental Fund Grant Guidelines (pdf)

Environmental Fund Grant Guidelines (Word document)

Environmental Fund Grant Reporting Requirements (pdf)  

ANY QUESTIONS, COMPLAINTS, OR PROBLEMS

Please contact Monroe County Recycling and Green Community Program Coordinator

Jamie Dean                           (734) 240-7909
Monroe County Environmental Health Division
2353 S. Custer Rd, Monroe, MI  48161-2234