Tuscola County Michigan USA

Tuscola County Recycling

Residents are encouraged to bring their recyclables into the building and to help sort their items into the appropriate bins.
Everything brought to Tuscola County Recycling is sorted out by hand and every single item has its own place and process.
Assistance will be available for those in need.

Recycleable Materials - Terms Of Acceptance

Corrugated Cardboard

  • Must be clean and dry, Tape and staples are accepted. All material must be broken down and flattened.
  • Brown paper bags, Corrugated cardboard (Heavy brown wavy paper sandwiched between two other layers of same material.)
  • Boxboard - IE: Cereal or cracker boxes.
  • No wax coated boxes, No foil covered boxes, No food contamination, No wood/foam supports. Please remove styrofoam or plastic bags.

Clear Glass Bottles & Jars

  • Caps and lids must be removed, Plastic caps and lids must be discarded.
  • Metal caps and lids are recycled separately, Bottles and jars must be rinsed clean and dry.
  • Food and beverage container glass, Unbroken bottles and jars, Clear glass only.
  • NOT ACCEPTED: Pyrex, Plate glass, Light bulbs, Beverage glass, Ceramics or cookware, Colored glass bottles.

Paper

Paper Classifications - Newspaper/NewsPrint, High grade white office paper, mixed grade office paper, magazines, catalogs, books & boxboard, phone books.

Terms Of Acceptance

  • Newspaper - Dry, Clean - Either bundled tightly with string or stacked neatly in brown paper bags. Inserts are ok.
  • Office Paper - Either placed in cardboard boxes or contained loose in brown paper bags.
  • Junk mail - Include with office paper.
  • Phone books - Include with newspaper.
  • No tape
  • No crayon
  • No staples
  • No carbons
  • No wet material
  • Please keep separate.

Definitions of above stated materials

Plastic Bottles & Jugs

Terms of acceptance - All plastic materials must be dry, clean. No drink cups, no food trays or containers. Remove and Discard plastic caps and lids.

2009 Guide To Plastics - View Here

Accepted

  • #1 and 2 plastic bottles only (Must have screw top)
  • #6 styrofoam
  • Look on bottom of container to find the number.
  • Bottle and Jug form only!

Not Accepted

  • No dirty containers, No plastic container lids or caps.
  • No medical items, No margarine tubs, No unrinsed plastics, no deli trays.
  • No lids or caps
  • No cool whip containers, No large mouthed containers, No automotive oil containers.
  • No yogurt cups, no fruit cups, no plastic cutlery.

Tires (Please note prices changing July 1, 2009)

County Residents

  • Car tire $1.50 Car tire with rim $3.00
  • Semi truck or trailer tire $7.50
  • Semi/trailer with rim $15.00
  • Tractor tire $20.00
  • Tractor tire with rim $40.00
  • No more than 10 tires at a time without an appointment.
  • No tire accepted on any type of axle.
  • Tires must be clean inside and out.
  • Cash or check only.

Non-County Residents

  • Car tire $3.00
  • Car tire with rim $6.00
  • Semi truck or trailer tire $15.00
  • Semi truck or trailer tire with rim $30.00
  • Tractor tire $40.00
  • Tractor tire with rim $80.00
  • No more than 10 tires at a time without an appointment.
  • No tire accepted on any type of axle.
  • Tires must be clean inside and out.
  • Cash or check only!

Commercial

  • Call for details - 989-672-1673

Metals

Terms of acceptance - Remove labels, Must be rinsed clean and dry, Remove ends if possible, Flatten cans if possible.

Accepted

  • Aluminum food containers, Lined cans are acceptable.
  • Foil pie plates and food trays.
  • Steel food containers.
  • Steel lids and caps from glass bottles and jars.
  • Empty aerosol cans.
  • All scrap metal items also accepted.

Not Accepted - No dirty metal, No coated foil wrappers, No dirty unrinsed food containers, No hazardous products or materials, no items containing freon, no dishwashers.

Antifreeze

  • Please place Antifreeze In easily emptied containers.
  • Call ahead for any changes in drop off hours.
  • Containers remain with Consumers once emptied
  • No container larger than 5 gallon accepted - Must be sealed.

Motor Oil

Terms of acceptance - Used MOTOR oil only, Please place oil in easily emptied containers. Cannot be mixed with water or any other fluids. Call ahead to learn of any changes in drop off hours.

Used oil drop off locations

Electronics

  • Goodwill Industries Stores accept computer equipment year round, free of charge from all area residents. More information can be found at Reconnect Partnership.
  • Tuscola County Recycling accepts electronic waste from Tuscola County residents year round at our facility. There is a $5 charge for all computer monitors, televisions or “all in one” type computers (i.e. laptops). Proof of residency is required and NO out of County electronics can be accepted.
  • All of the following material is accepted year round, free of charge from Tuscola County residents:
  • Computer Towers, VCRs, DVD Players, Stereos, Printers, Fax Machines, Telephones, Scanners, Cellular Phones, Speakers, Keyboards, Computer Mouse, Rubber covered cords, Rechargeable Batteries & Auto Batteries.
  • Best Buy stores accept just about anything electronic, including TVs, DVD players, computer monitors, cell phones and more. You can bring in up to two items a day, per household, and most things are absolutely free. However, there is a $10 charge for TVs 32" and under, CRTs, monitors and laptops — but they'll give you a $10 Best Buy gift card to offset that cost.

Household Battery Recycling

Rechargeable batteries may be mailed in through this program rbrc.org. Other household batteries may be recycled through the following programs;

  • Eco Lights Northwest
    2200 6th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98134
    (206) 343-7443
    http://www.ecolights.com
    CFLs, fluorescent bulbs, items containing mercury, NiCad batteries, other batteries, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries
    This mail-in program accepts all lighting sources, fixtures bulbs and other mercury containing item. Please call for additional information.
  • Partners in Planet Protection
    Palmerton, PA 18071(610) 955-7634
    http://www.4pipp.com
    CFLs, fluorescent bulbs, items containing mercury (dental waste), mercury thermostats, rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries
    This program is available nationally and services business both large and small. Please visit the website to order a relevant kit and for shipping instructions.
  • Battery Mart
    1 Battery Drive, Winchester, VA 22601
    (800) 405-2121
    http://www.batterymart.com
    NiCad batteries, other batteries (NiMH, lead-acid), rechargeable batteries
    This program does not pay for shipping costs. Please call for further details.
  • Wal- Mart Electronics Department
    1121 E Caro Road
    Caro, MI  4872
    (989) 673-7900
    Accepts all types of household batteries - please tape the ends.

CFL ( Compact Fluorecent Bulbs)

For information on disposal of CFL bulbs, see the links below.

http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3585_30068_30172---,00.html

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/CFL_Fact_Sheet_193840_7.pdf

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

Locations that accept CFL's year round, free of charge:

Home Depot in Bay City

  • 3860 State Street off of Wilder
  • (989) 671-9402
  • No broken bulbs - take them to the Customer Service desk for disposal

Menards in Bay City

  • 2864 E. Wilder Road
  • (989) 686-1764
  • No broken bulbs - take them to the Electrical Department for disposal

Menards in Saginaw

  • 5806 State Street across from Wal-Mart
  • (989) 790-2953
  • No broken bulbs - take them to the Electrical Department for disposal

Mail in recycling programs for CFL's and other mercury containing items:

Paints

One of the questions we answer the most is *How do I get rid of my water based paint?*

Latex paint is water based (any paint that has water cleanup is water based) and it is not considered hazardous by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). According to the MDEQ, residents can dry up their old latex paint and once it is dry and solid, it can go into your regular trash. You can speed up the drying process by adding cat litter, wood chips, sand or shredded paper to the cans of paint. Remember to store the open paint cans somewhere safe where pets and children will not have access to it.

How to properly dispose of Latex Paints - View Video

Oil based

Oil based paint and stains, cleaners, paint strippers, polishes and pool chemicals are all items that are accepted at the yearly Household Hazardous Waste collections. Tuscola County Recycling Center sponsors two collection dates each year. Both collection dates are open from 9:00am to Noon and an appointment is required to attend either event date. Please call ahead for an appointment and list of acceptable items.

Medical Waste

Other Materials

Kate Neese - Recycling Coordinator

Tuscola County Recycling

1123 Mertz Road

Caro, MI  48723

(989) 672-1673

 

  
 
   

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