EAST LANSING ROLLS OUT THOUSANDS OF RECYCLING CARTS

(East Lansing, MI) – People in East Lansing no longer have to cram their recyclables in a 10×10 bin. No more driving miles to drop off their larger recyclables.

“Now our residents will be able to recycle items like cardboard, box board, and cartons. We’re exceptionally excited about all those items, scrap metal from your household,” said environmental services administrator Cathy DeShambo.

Thanks to a $125,000 grant from Recycling Partnership homes are getting 96-gallon carts that will hold a lot more than before. Without the grant, carts would cost homeowners more than $50.00 apiece.

East Lansing Mayor, Nathan Triplett, expects to see a growth in recycling, “We expect to see a significant drop in rubbish collection and a significant increase, potentially upwards of an initial 40 – 50% in our recycling stream. So that’s economically good for the city, environmentally sustainable, and we’re looking forward to seeing the transition.

Along with the more than 7,000 carts that have been delivered to the city comes a new hydraulic hybrid Heil garbage truck.

“It’s the first of its kind in Michigan. We are a hydraulic hybrid system by nature. A hybrid means two forms of energy,” said Angelo Caponi of Parker Hannifin Engineering.

“It’s kind of like a balloon. You blow up a balloon, it expands and when you let it go; it flies. That’s the more energy that you capture and pressurize, the better your next take-off will be,” explains Caponi.

The new truck will use 40-50% less fuel and reduce emissions. A truly green truck on a green mission. “The less diesel fuel you’re burning, the less CO2 you’re putting into the air and the less (Carbon oxide) the less total hydrocarbon. It really is a solution to a problem,” Caponi said.

DeShambo said while the city is celebrating one green victory, they are already working towards future green growth. “We want our residents to be able to recycle as much when they’re enjoying our downtown and coming here to go out to dinner or to shop. We want them to have places where they can recycle their plastic bottles and their coffee cups.”

Another new thing for the City of East Lansing, they will cut down the number of pickups from weekly to twice monthly to help reduce wear and tear on the roads.