“TRASH INTO CASH” CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAM ON EARTH DAY
MAYOR WILD, WESTLAND SHOPPING CENTER PARTNER TO LAUNCH WESTLAND’S “TRASH INTO CASH” CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAM ON EARTH DAY
Westland, MI – Earth Day 2009 will carry special significance here in the City of Westland. On Wednesday, April 22 at 11 a.m., Westland Mayor William R. Wild will mark the day with the official launch of the City’s “Trash into Cash” curbside recycling program inside the east court of Westland Shopping Center.
“We couldn’t be happier to partner with Westland Shopping Center as we herald the arrival of our highly anticipated curbside recycling program,” said Westland Mayor William R. Wild. “As the largest business in our community – and the first to partner with RecycleBank – Westland Shopping Center is the perfect venue to properly introduce this cutting edge program that will turn residents’ ‘trash into cash’ while protecting our environment.”
At the event, residents will have an opportunity to enter four prize drawings: one grand prize drawing for a $250 Westland Shopping Center Gift Card, a second and third drawing – each for a $50 Westland Shopping Center gift card, and the fourth will allow one lucky winner to win a KL Waterquest 9’7” solo sit-in kayak (retail value $440) from Wilson Marine. Mayor Wild will also honor Westland Shopping Center as the recipients of Westland’s Mission: Green Eco-Award for their “Thinking Green” initiative. The mall has already installed hand dryers in an effort to save paper towel and reduce landfill space and will soon begin recycling old corrugated cardboard, which is anticipated to save 4,216 trees annually. In addition, sod will be removed outdoors near the Arcade 2 and 6 areas, a move that will minimize water usage. Finally, effective June 1, Westland Shopping Center will begin saving 69,904 kilowatt hours of electricity simply by changing to compact fluorescent lamps.
Representatives from Republic Services (the company that will pick up the recyclables), Toter, Inc. (the company that will provide the carts for households), and Great Lakes Recycling (the company that will process the materials), will all be on hand to provide information on the program and answer any questions. Light refreshments will be served as well.
Characterized by Mayor Wild as Westland’s own economic stimulus package, this program looks to reward residents with approximately $240–540 annually and could inject between $6–15 million into the Westland economy. The curbside recycling program involves single stream recycling in which all materials can be co-mingled in the same bin and also offers a monetary incentive to all those who participate.
The program involves single-stream recycling in which all materials are thrown into the same bin (glass, plastic, tin cans, etc.) and no sorting is necessary. Personalized carts with tracking chips monitor each household’s participation, which in turn determine the amount of “points” or “purchase rewards” received. The points will be issued in the form of gift cards and will be redeemable at local merchants and businesses. Phase One, slated to begin in mid-June, includes the 28,000 single-family households within the city; multi-family units and businesses will be integrated during a later stage.
Westland Shopping Center is located at 35000 Warren Road at Wayne Road. In august, the mall will host Wayne County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection on Saturday, August 22 from 8 a.m.–2 p.m., which presents a prime opportunity for residents to rid their home of thermometers, garden chemicals, dyes, floor wax, nail polish, and other items deemed hazardous.
For more information contact Courtney Conover, Deputy Mayor, at (734) 467-3200.
