IM-K curbside recycling grant is approved
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IRON MOUNTAIN -- Carts for curbside recycling will likely be delivered to the cities of Iron Mountain and Kingsford soon with 80% of the cost of the purchase covered through a state grant.
The total grant -- which is pending -- is $299,257, according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. The match from the cities combined would be about $75,000.
After a final review, a number of Upper Peninsula recycling infrastructure grants will be announced Tuesday in Marquette.
Iron Mountain last week received notification of the pending grant from Tracy Tomaszewski, a recycling specialist in the Materials Management Division of EGLE. U.P. grant recipients are invited to attend the event in Marquette, Iron Mountain City Manager Jordan Stanchina told the city council Monday.
Beginning this year, Michigan's benchmark recycling standards require that 90% of single-family dwellings in urban areas have access to curbside recycling. EGLE does allow for voluntary programs, but the Iron Mountain council decided when the grant application was submitted in January that mandatory recycling appeared the best option.
The cost for a bi-weekly pickup schedule in Iron Mountain has been roughly estimated at $7 per household per month. The city's application included carts for Kingsford, with Iron Mountain acting as the fiduciary.
GFL Environmental has provided automated garbage pickup in Iron Mountain since August 2023. Once curbside recycling is offered, it's expected that GFL will allow recyclables to be placed in one capped container, without separation. As proposed, all residents will receive a cart -- participating as they choose -- but be charged for the service regardless.
Kingsford still does its own garbage collection but would likely contract for recycling pickups.
Kingsford had tried to partner with the City of Norway to offer curbside recycling on a voluntary basis at a cost of $8.50 a month, with collection through GFL. But a minimum of 1,000 households were needed between the two municipalities to receive that price, and the signups fell well short.
When the joint application was discussed, it was expected that Iron Mountain would acquire about 4,000 recycling containers and Kingsford about 2,500, at cost of about $55 per cart.
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Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.