The city of Ypsilanti's Recycling Drop-Off Center at 651 Rice St. closed permanently as of Aug. 31, and city officials are in the process of working out an agreement with Ypsilanti Township to accept some recyclables at the Ypsilanti Township Compost Center.

Joe Meyers, the city's interim economic development director, says the closure arose from the fact that the center was located on the site of Frog Island Park. That barred the city from obtaining state assistance with both Frog Island and all other city parks.

"The (Michigan) Department of Natural Resources, in order for us to get grants, said we had to discontinue having the recycling center on park land," Meyers says. "The recycling center was deemed not an appropriate use of park land."

Township and city officials convened a special session in late August to discuss a deal for a joint city-township recycling station, but no decision was made at that time. An agreement is being worked out between the city and township, and officials from both municipalities said they were unsure when the agreement would be completed.

"We're in the process of negotiation, and the city council (and) township board still have to sign off on contracts and agreements," says Meyers. "It's in the hands of the lawyers right now."

Residents of single-family homes and some small apartment buildings can continue to use curbside recycling as usual, but most businesses and large apartment buildings aren't eligible for curbside recycling.
 

The township and city are discussing issuing a pass so that some city residents and business owners may be able to drop off their recyclables for free at the Ypsilanti Township Compost Center, 2600 E. Clark Road. However, no passes issued by the city will be honored by the township until the agreement is finalized, township officials said via email.

Compost site hours vary by season. From April to November, hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. From December to March, the compost site is open only from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays.

The township's compost center doesn't take some of the items that the city's drop-off center used to take, such as used motor oil, batteries, and Styrofoam, so residents who want to dispose of those items can pay $3 to drop those items off at the Ann Arbor Recycling Drop-Off Station at 2950 E. Ellsworth Rd.

Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and editor in Ypsilanti Township. You may reach her at sarahrigg1@gmail.com.

Photo by Sarah Rigg.