HOLLAND, Mich. — A new recycling program will be coming to Holland next year. The city will replace its yellow-bag system with carts, to increase the amount of materials it is able to recycle.
"Yellow bags sometimes just in the handling process and throwing them in garbage trucks and get them compacted…it would break and it would contaminate the otherwise clean recycling materials, so that’s why were making the transition to carts," City Manager, Keith Van Beek said.
The cart program was made possible by two grants totaling close to $420,000. The state's EGLE program donated $267,646 and The Recycling Partnership donated $151,856.
Van Beek said the funds will be used to purchase 96-gallon recycling carts as well as providing an educational program for community members. In addition, the city will spend around $93,000 out of it's waste management fund.
During a study by the City of Holland, data showed about 51% of residents participated in recycling. However, Van Beek said the yellow bag system showed faults.
"We saw sometimes up to 75% failure rate of the yellow bag system, so we think instituting the new system will increase the amount of flow that will be recycled," he said.
Van Beek added that the shift in programs could play into the city's broader goal of lower their carbon footprint by 2050.
"It's just a commitment to sustainability in all forms," he said.
The new recycling program is expected to launch in April of 2021.
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