(Chelsea Update would like to thank Shawn Personke for the information in this story.)
Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority (WWRA) will partner with the DART Container Corporation and community volunteers to host a #6 foam recycling weekend on June 3, 4, and 5, 2022.
DART will deliver a trailer to the WWRA Chelsea/Manchester Road bin site, across from the Chelsea Fairgrounds. Staff and volunteers will be onsite to help collect and sort items brought in by community members during collection hours.
Marc Williams, WWRA facility manager, is glad to be bringing this opportunity to the community.
“Western Washtenaw residents are great recyclers. People want to recycle as much as they can, so when this opportunity came along, we decided to see how we could make it happen and it’s been a success since we started in June 2021,” he said in a press release.
Over the course of the last 12 months, the WWRA has collected several tons of #6 foam.
DART Container makes food and beverage packaging items and actively collects and promotes foam recycling opportunities throughout the country. After recycling #6 foam, DART sells it to “manufacturers of picture frames, interior molding, pens, rulers and foam packaging,” according to its website.
Additionally, DART recycles the paper scrap from its line of insulated cups, creating foodservice products made of recycled, recyclable and compostable or renewable materials.
Community recyclers need to know that only EPS #6 foam is acceptable. Examples of acceptable #6 include egg cartons, meat trays, some food take-out containers, medical coolers, and block furniture and electronic packaging.
Items not accepted are building insulation boards and packing peanuts. Packing peanuts can be taken to Recycle Ann Arbor on Ellsworth.
Volunteers will be onsite during collection hours to answer questions and help review foam items. Hours for the event are Friday, June 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, June 4, 9 a.m. to 4p.m.; Sunday, June 5, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
