(Chelsea Update would like to thank Laura Scriven and WWRA for the information in this story.)
As tax season looms closer, financial responsibility is on the minds of most people.
At Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority (WWRA), we are doing everything we can to not only be responsible, but also to improve the finances of the communities and households we serve. There is some good news with recycled materials increasing this year almost 50 percent over the December/January period of the previous year. Also, the value of the recycled materials has increased about 10 percent from the previous month and the trend is expected to continue.
We are continually looking for more materials and more contracts to increase the amount of materials processed at the WWRA facility. An increase of materials means an increase in revenue. The increased revenue allows WWRA to lower the annual operational assessment, a goal that we have had since initiating Single Stream recycling. Our objective is to make WWRA both self-sufficient and self-sustaining.
All materials picked up by WWRA trucks at the bin sites within our member townships is being brought back to the WWRA facility on Werkner Road.
However, within our member townships of Dexter, Lima and Lyndon, there are trash services that are returning to their own facilities with the materials and keeping the revenue.
This reduces the amount of revenue collected by WWRA when materials are sold. One trash service, Monroe, provides the recycling service and brings materials to the WWRA facility. Thus, they are providing a dual service to the community. The first is by picking up recycling at each resident’s home, which is a huge convenience. The second is that they are helping to maintain WWRA’s product volumes and revenues.
Other trash haulers are taking the recycling material out of the county; a negative impact on WWRA and your pocketbook.
To explain, households in the townships that have curbside service with companies that do not return the materials to WWRA are paying twice for recycling. Each household pays two WWRA assessments through property taxes. The first assessment pays for the bonds that built the new facility and the second assessment pays for operational costs.
When materials are not brought to WWRA, it is taking money out of the pockets of everyone in our communities. WWRA would like to move toward having all debts paid off so we can concentrate on searching and utilizing more ways to serve the communities and to help protect the environment.
If you have any questions or concerns about whether your recycling service is contracted to bring materials back to WWRA, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]
