Contact: Robert Jackson (517) 373-2731

Ken Silfven (517) 241-7397

Department of Environmental Quality Director Russell Harding today announced the award of seven grants totaling over $560,000 to assist local units of government in establishing household hazardous waste collection programs.

The Michigan Household Hazardous Waste Collection Initiative is funded under the Clean Michigan Initiative, a $675 million environmental bond proposed by Gov. John Engler and overwhelmingly approved by voters in 1998.

"Although not regulated, household wastes may contain potentially hazardous materials," Harding said. "Establishing collection programs in underserved areas of the state provides safe disposal and educates residents on how to reduce the use of hazardous products in their homes."

Projects funded in the first round are:

• The Northeast Michigan Recycling Alliance Authority - $125,000 to establish a permanent household hazardous waste collection program for residents of Alpena, Montmorency, Alcona and Presque Isle counties.
• The city of Cadillac - $50,000 to set up a permanent collection program in the city that will be available to all Wexford County residents.
• Grand Traverse County - $150,000 for a mobile collection program in Grand Traverse, Benzie and Manistee counties.
• The Multicounty Solid Waste Task Force - $60,524 to establish a mobile collection program based in Lapeer County that will pick up residential household hazardous waste in Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac and Lapeer counties.
• Leelanau County Board of Commissioners - $52,100 to establish a mobile collection program in Leelanau County with the resources and cooperation of Grand Traverse County’s collection program.
• Central Wayne County Sanitation Authority - $75,750 to set up a collection program for residents of Inkster, Garden City, Dearborn Heights, Westland and Wayne. These cities already are part of the Central Wayne County Sanitation Authority. The project will expand the current collection from once a year to several days week, year-round.
• Washtenaw County Department of Environmental and Infrastructure Services - $48,640 to provide the residents of Jackson, Lenawee and Washtenaw counties at least three opportunities to dispose of household hazardous waste each year. The project uses the resources of Washtenaw County’s well-established program and an underused facility in Lenawee County to form a cooperative, multicounty effort.

A second round of applications is scheduled to begin in March. For more information on the program contact Robert Jackson of the Department of Environmental Quality at (517) 373-2731.

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