Recycling Program Off To Strong Start In Royal Oak

ROYAL OAK, MI — Just about half of Royal Oak residents have their new 65-gallon cart for recycling collection. Delivery of the carts started a few weeks ago as part of an expanded effort by the Oakland County Resource Recovery Authority to make recycling easier and increase the amount of materials being recycled.

All of the carts should be delivered by late August, SOCRRA officials have said. They’re hoping for about a 50 percent increase in recycling collections within a few years.

Use of the carts, however, isn’t mandatory, according to city of Royal Oak Facebook post. City officials are recommending that residents give the new carts a try for three months. But they can be returned by simply calling SOCRRA to have it picked up.

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Thus far, residents seem to have a positive response to the program. “Love our cart!!!,” wrote Rachel Klaus on the city’s Facebook post. “Second week of using it and we've packed it full every time, lol!”

Debbie Evans Tewilliager wrote that she hasn’t yet received her recycling cart. “Looking forward to it for the cardboard boxes,” she wrote. “There are weeks that I spend a lot of time breaking down boxes, tying them with twine, then setting them on top of the recycle bin...only to have the garbage men throw it into their truck. If I'm home I now wait until the garbage truck is gone then I take out the boxes for the recycle truck.”

For information about the program, go to soccrarecycling.org

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