PROGRESS REPORT ON THE
ENVIRONMENTAL BOND

In April, 1990 the majority of
voters in every Ann Arbor precinct
supported the passage of a $28 million
Environmental Bond for the City's solid
waste programs. The Environmental
Bond provides for long-term, safe,
cost-effective integrated solid waste
management for Ann Arbor residents
and business. The Environmental Bond
also provided nearly $800,000 match-
ing funds for three state Protecting
Michigan's Future grants.
New Recycling and Composting
Programs Operating
Weekly recycling collection of
mixed containers and newspapers is
now provided for 112,000 Ann Arbor
residents receiving City refuse collec-
tion except for 7,000 multi-family units,
which will be phased in by March,
1992. The bond and grant monies
provided for the purchases of new
recycling collection trucks, storage totes
and curbcarts and enhancements at the
Recycling Processing Facility on East
Ellsworth Road.
New equipment at the Com-
post Processing Facility allows the City
to accept and process brush as well as
leaves and green yard prunings and
clippings. Two new waste reduction
education centers are now open at the
Recycling Drop-Off Station and at Leslie
Science Center.

City Landfill in Top Condition
Environmental Bond funds
have allowed the City to protect the
environment at the City's Landfill site,
on Phases I and II, located on Ellsworth
and Platt Roads.
Steps have been taken to pro-
tect surface water and groundwater,
particularily along the Swift Run Drain.
The slopes of the landfill are being
capped with plastic and clay (with a top
layer of sod) that prevents rainwater
from penetrating into the buried land-
fill. Carefully graded landfill slopes
and silt fences guide rain water away
from Swift Run Drain and into the
retention ponds. Water from the reten-
tion ponds and groundwater will be
able to be pumped into the City's
Wastewater Treatment Plant if needed.
Bond monies have allowed for addi-
tional groundwater monitoring wells
outside the landfill area. To date, only
a slight increase in salts (sodium and
chloride) and iron have been detected
in these monitoring wells.
Methane gas collection pipes
have been installed. Methane is created
by decomposing organic material, such
as food, that is buried in landfills.
Unless vented, methane will " bubble
up" through the landfill, create cracks
and allow water to enter.

Positive results of these efforts
were realized in the latest Michigan
Department of Natural Resources
(MDNR) highly favorable inspection
report of the Ann Arbor Landfill in
September, 1991.
The City has also submitted a@
state-of-the-art landfill design to MDNR
to allow for a Phase III expansion of the
landfill. The City is waiting for a
response from the State before pro-
ceeding with construction of the land-
fill expansion. The current City Land-
fill will be filled and closed in 1992/93.
Material Recovery Facility Planned
To provide for long-term waste
reduction in Ann Arbor, the City is in
the process of procuring a Materials
Recovery Facility (MRF, pronounced
" murf" ). The facility is intended as a
full service MRF that incorporates a
variety of features for handling a wide
range of recyclable materials.
The facility will be designed to
receive material from a variety of waste
generators and collectors, including
small private vehicles, small haulers
and municipal refuse trucks.
The MRF will include systems
for handling wood wastes, bulk metals,
appliances, office papers, and other
salvagible items. Source-separated an
commingled recyclables, as currently
collected from Ann Arbor residents
from their homes and the Drop-Off
Station, will also be delivered to the
facility.
page 4

CC.7
X~n4! {1 g

Ann Arbor Waste Watcher Fall/Winter 1991/92