Parks and Recreation Division staff and partner organizations have developed recycling centeres at more than 30 facilities to increase recycling efforts and decrease the amount of waste hauled to landfills.

From a simple recycling center in the Division's Lansing office to a series of recycling bins at a state park's headquarters, employees have implemented an aggressive campaign to keep recyclable materials out of landfills. The items being recycled include oils and fluids from park vehicles, household batteries, surplus paints, cardboard, magazines, white and colored paper and Styrofoam containers.

The hope is to increase awareness for employees and visitors on the proper way to dispose of specific waste products. For example, it is illegal to throw returnable cans and bottles into a landfill. Some people throw these items away because they do not want to be bothered with returning them.

At all participating locations, staff is monitoring the amount and weight of recycled materials and tracking the reduction of refuse disposal costs. In addition to helping the environment, additional goals of this pilot program are to keep illegal items out of landfills and cut the cost of refuse removal.

Future plans include mandating a recycling program at all state parks, harbors, recreation areas and expanding the service to invite visitors to recycle waste generated during their visit.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Department of Environmental Quality's Recycling website
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies' Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle website
• Earth 911