Cathy DeShambo, East Lansing Environmental Services Administrator, said she has been involved with Recycle! East Lansing for many years, and that this year’s activity may have beaten prior recycling records.
She said volunteers assisted a steady, heavy stream of residents with full car and trailer loads, and that the high turnout could likely be attributed to the recent nice weather.
“People have been able to get into their garages,” DeShambo said. “The years where it has been rainy and cold until right before this, it’s as if people just weren’t in the mindset.”
Last year, the event accumulated 11 tons of electronics, 350 pounds of medication, 4.5 tons of scrap metal, 500 pounds of styrofoam, 1.5 tons of books, 40 bicycles and 128 reparable appliances, DeShambo said. Volunteers also drove out for 36 pickups at senior citizens’ homes, but DeShambo said that number more than doubled this year.
Tom Schmidt, one of the drivers of the five city trucks designated for the senior citizen pickup routes, said he enjoyed the task because seniors always appreciate the volunteers picking up their excess belongings for free.
“They’re grateful to get rid of it, but they’re especially glad to know that some of it is going to be reused, and what’s not reused is recycled,” he said.
DeShambo said there are typically 50 to 100 volunteers consisting of both groups and individuals. Volunteer coordinator Susan Schmidt said groups included Boy Scout Troop 180, the East Lansing High School junior varsity football team, the Prime Time Seniors’ Program and the Lions Club.
Volunteer Lary Hill attended the event on behalf of the Lions Club to collect old eyeglasses, which are reused and given to underserved populations.
“(We) get them cleaned and get them assessed as to their prescription, have them labeled and put on a master computer list, and then they are put in boxes so that churches or Lions Clubs that go overseas to do eyeglass missions with eyeglass doctors can take six to seven thousand pairs of glasses to give to the population in need,” he said.
Hill said he feels the event has continued to run smoothly because of the number of volunteers, the user-friendly layout and the consistent location.
East Lansing resident Howard Heideman agreed the event is successful because it is convenient — residents can recycle basically everything in one location.
“My family has lived in East Lansing for 30 years, and we’ve been coming to this event every year,” he said. “It gives us an easy way to recycle items that we (aren’t able to) — that we throw in the trash — that we shouldn’t throw in the trash.”
DeShambo said it’s especially important for residents to know they can bring toxic materials to the event to ensure they are properly disposed of. For example, all medications collected are taken to the Ingham County Health Department by a professional to keep the community and water supply safe.
