Recycle Ann Arbor

In 1978, Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA) founded the first curbside recycling program in Michigan. Over the years, the program has seen significant growth, with the development of a curbside program, recovery yard, A2 Area Reuse network, and drop-off center. In 2021 they diverted 15699 tons of waste from being landfilled and opened their zero-waste Material Recovery Facility.

Back in the day, Recycle Ann Arbor wanted to prove to the City of Ann Arbor that recycling would work and that people would want to recycle. They dove in without the City's support and started the curbside program with volunteers. Recycle Ann Arbor received great feedback and managed high participation levels. They opened their drop-off center after that success and the program continues to grow today. 

RAA promotes zero waste by providing collection support for a variety of materials at events throughout the city. The goal with these events is to recover at least 90% of the waste for recycling and composting. Part of this success is showing people how to properly recycle and compost. Recycle Ann Arbor knows that you can't just talk about the importance of recycling, you have to provide opportunities and information to make it possible. 

RAA is a zero waste role model for the community and offers educational resources on their website - e-newsletters, an A to Z recycling guide, and other resources for material recycling. RAA also focuses on  outreach and education to help the community recycle smarter and create less contamination. Recycle Ann Arbor has proven since day one that people want to recycle, and their determination to grow will always help the community continue to help reduce, reuse, and recycle.