The City of Grand Rapids has joined in the launch of a six-month pilot project using new technology to improve residential recycling.
The city is working with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), The Recycling Partnership, and Prairie Robotics for the project. It uses high-tech cameras, global positioning systems and computers on city recycling trucks to help mitigate costs and time spent sorting thru non-recyclable items that get mistakenly placed into recycle bins.
Instead of a person reviewing contents and placing a tag on curbside recycling carts, Grand Rapids will use the technology provided by Prairie Robotics to retrofit the city’s recycling collection trucks with the new equipment to scan material as it is mechanically dumped from each recycling cart into the truck.
“Residents who want to recycle can have good intentions to recycle everything, but when contaminants (non-recyclable material) are added, sorting them out costs extra time and money,” said Nicole Rapacki, public works recycling coordinator at the City’s Public Works Department. “Recycling can save taxpayers money by reducing the number of times residents pay to have their refuse cart tipped. It also reduces the amount of good recyclable material going to the Waste to Energy facility. Additionally, recycling supports jobs and improves the health of the environment. We know residents want to recycle and through this program, more Grand Rapids residents will be able to do so.”
For information on what and what not to recycle, go here.