Curbside Recycling

FAQ's

How can I get a tote?

If you live in one of the participating communities and do not have a tote, please call 348-0640. Whether you're new to our program or need a replacement we'll bring you one free!

Do I have to pay for curbside collection service?

If you live in a single family home in a participating community, your town or township pays for the service for you.

If you live in an apartment building or condominium or are wondering about curbside recycling for a business, please call Emmet County Recycling at 348-0640, as the various communities have different provision for these cases.

What day of the week is my neighborhood served?

Curbside Recycling Map

What time do I need to have my tote out for collection?

For reliable service, you must have your recyclables out by 7 a.m. You may observe that your driver “always” comes much later, but many factors can cause the time of your pick up to change, for example a substitute driver, a substitute truck, and new businesses added to your route day. If you set out your tote(s) after 7 a.m., we may miss you!

With the holiday, when will my recyclables be picked up?

When a holiday falls on a weekday, curbside collection of recyclables will be one day later than usual for the remainder of the week, with Friday customers served on Saturday.

This will always be the case with Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. It will apply to New Year's Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day in years when they fall on a weekday.

What materials are collected curbside?

You can recycle all of the following materials curbside. Please note that they need to be set out, as shown, in two separate categories: 1) Containers and 2) Paper, Boxes and Bags. If you mix the two categories of recyclables, your driver will leave your recycling for you to sort out.

Containers include:
	Plastic bottles, jugs and jars NEW!! Plastic tubs, trays and cups NEW!! Juice boxes, milk cartons and paper cups Metal cans, foil and trays Glass bottles and jars

Paper, boxes and bags include:
	Newspapers and inserts Magazines, catalogs and books Office and writing paper Cardboard*, cereal boxes and grocery bags NEW!! Plastic grocery and bread bags   * must be small enough to fit in a brown paper grocery bag

How do I set out my recyclables?

There are several important factors to remember when setting out your recyclables for curbside collection:

1. Keep the two categories of recyclables separate. You can do this however you prefer — in two totes, a tote and a paper bag, setting a waste basket inside one tote to contain one category — whatever works for you. The categories are outlined in the green and blue boxes above this question.
2. Always set out at least one of the “Emmet County Recycling” green totes. You may use other containers, but a green ECR tote is the driver’s cue that materials at the curb are recyclables for collection. If you use containers other than the green “Emmet County Recycling” totes, please choose ones which no larger than our totes. Your driver lifts hundreds of totes a day and repeatedly lifting very large or deep totes can injure them.
3. If you set out your recyclables in a cardboard or plastic container which might be seen as recyclable, please write “Save This Container” on it in permanent marker if you don’t want it collected.

What areas have curbside collection service?

The following communities provide curbside collection of recyclables to most* of their residents:

• Bear Creek Township
• Harbor Springs
• Little Traverse Township
• Petoskey
• Resort Township
  *Exceptions may include roads not accessible to our trucks and private roads or associations which don't allow large trucks. Also, see the section below on apartments, condos, and businesses for exceptions in some communities.

Curbside collection was also offered to West Traverse, Littlefield, and Springvale townships, and the village of Alanson, however they chose not to participate at this time. Curbside collection is not being offered in the less densely populated areas of the county because long drives between homes would make the service inefficient and expensive.

Are apartments and condominiums included?

Generally individual apartments buildings or houses with just a few apartments are included, but larger buildings or complexes are not. The one exception is Resort Township, which is providing the service to all households and businesses. Call Emmet County Recycling at 348-0640 for the details for your community.

Curbside for Businesses in Resort Township 
Larger buildings or complexes are invited to contract directly with Emmet County Recycling to provide the service. The cost is $36 per year per household. Some complexes with private drives may not be fully accessible to our trucks. In this case it may be possible to set up mini recycling drop-sites with 96-gallon carts for each material. The cost is $106 per year per cart. For more information call Emmet County Recycling at 348-0640.

Curbside for Businesses 
Condominiums are being handled similarly. Associations interested in participating can call Emmet County Recycling at 348-0640.

Are businesses included?

Resort Township is providing curbside recycling to businesses at no additional cost. If you have a business in Resort Township and have not yet been contacted about curbside collection, please call 348-0640.

If you have a business in one of the other participating communities you can contract directly with Emmet County Recycling to have your recyclables collected. The cost is just $36 per year per 16-gallon tote or $106 per year per 96-gallon cart for weekly collection. The totes and carts are provided by Emmet County Recycling. Call 348-0640 for more information.

Cardboard note: if you regularly dispose of more than a small amount of cardboard, talk to your waste hauler about providing a designated cardboard recycling dumpster. Emmet County Recycling is only able to collect small amounts of cardboard curbside. For more information on provisions for cardboard collection in the Emmet County Solid Waste Ordinance, call Emmet County Recycling 348-0640.

Who do I call if I have questions or concerns about curbside service?

Emmet County Recycling at 348-0640.

Are the drop sites still available?

Yes, all 12 recycling drop sites will continue to be available.

How is the service paid for?

The participating towns and townships pay Emmet County Recycling to provide curbside collection service. All of the participating communities found the means to cover the costs within their existing revenues, so there are not any specific fees, assessments, or taxes for this service.

What types of homes, businesses, and institutions are included is up to each community. Generally they don't pay for larger apartment complexes or businesses, but the guidelines vary from one community to another. (Alternately, businesses and larger residential communities and businesses can contract with Emmet County Recycling directly at low annual rates. For more information, see the sections on apartments and condominiums and businesses.

Who is operating the service?

Emmet County Recycling (a division of the Emmet County Department of Public Works) operates the curbside recycling program. We're the same people who operate the County's ten Recycling Drop-Sites and the Drop-off Center, which also includes a Compost Center and Waste Transfer Station.

You can recycle many additional materials (for example clothing, scrap metal, and electronics) at the Drop-off Center. See the Recycling Guide for all of the details.