Deliveries done: Recycling pilot program underway

Kathleen MacKenna has been waiting for a new way to recycle, and it arrived at her home at 4619 Pine Drive on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

She was there to welcome it.

“I really believe in recycling,” she said looking over the new 64-gallon cart that was dropped off as part of a pilot program to test a new way of collecting recyclables in Laketown Township.

For a video of the deliveries, click here.

The pilot is limited to a selected area of homes between 146th and 147th avenues, west of 64th Street. Invitations were sent to 147 households. Seventy-one agreed to participate.

“Before making long-term decisions about recycling services, we wanted the opportunity to test a cart-based program, hear directly from residents, and see whether we can recover more recyclable material while making recycling easier for households,” said Laketown Township Deputy Clerk Zoey Hallam who is coordinating the recycling program.

The area was selected in coordination with Republic Services due to its density and proximity to the Republic sorting site at 4368 60^th St., making it ideal for collecting data.

The recycling carts will be picked up every other week at no charge to residents. Participants still pay the regular fees for their other trash services.

After the six- to eight-month pilot concludes, the township will evaluate the results and determine next steps. Those could include expanding a cart program more broadly, adjusting the current system, or pursuing additional funding.

The pilot program is funded through a Seed Grant of just under $10,000 from NextCycle Michigan, supported by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. The grant pays for the recycling carts used in the study.

Republic Services is supporting the pilot with a dedicated truck to allow for accurate tracking of participation and material recovery.

Laketown Township has also applied for a larger recycling infrastructure grant through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. If awarded, that funding would allow the township to provide recycling carts to the remainder of the community.

Currently, Laketown residents use yellow recycling bags. The bag system can result in contamination, torn materials, and recyclable items being lost in the waste stream. Cart-based systems are widely used across Michigan and are often associated with higher participation and improved material capture.

The carts, which are marked “Laketown Township,” were delivered to the township on May 22. Staff assembled them then prepared them for delivery. Heavener Property Services of Saugatuck picked up the carts at township hall then delivered them June 2 to residents who previously signed up. Hallam distributed supporting material to each homeowner.