The Washtenaw County’s Department Office of Water Resources and the Environmental Health, Solid Waste Division, in cooperation with the Saline City Environmental Commission, sponsors a Regional Clean-Up Day for the citizens in Washtenaw County annually. This year's event was the second annual Regional Clean-Up Day held on Saturday September 21, 2013 at the City of Saline’s DPW Yard located at 1234 Tefft Court. A total number of recyclers was recorded at 450. The 2013 event utilized volunteers and partnered with resources from the City of Saline, Washtenaw County Sheriff and county solid waste staff making the 2013 Regional Clean-Up Event a success. During the event, numerous positive comments from participants were received that generally included their desire and support to continue this event on a annual basis at the Saline DPW location. Many recyclers provided feedback and expressed their satisfaction with the event’s traffic pattern relative to the unloading process at each drop-off station and the short period of time it took from start to finish. The 2013 Saline Regional Area Fall Clean Up-Day accepted a broad range of traditional recyclable materials including: paper, plastic, glass, cardboard and also included, as a benefit, electronic waste comprised of computer and television monitors, cell-phones and printers. Other non traditional items that were collected that are generally excluded from existing curb-side pickup recycling programs and banned from landfills include: Freon-containing appliances, scrap tires, motor oil and Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) chemicals. The HHW collection items included materials such as cleaning supplies, acids and bases, oil-based paints, pesticides and fertilizers, mercury thermometers, fluorescent light bulbs, sharps and more.

This event truly brought local units of government, volunteers and the general community as a whole located in the Saline and surrounding areas of Washtenaw County together in helping to protect our environment and to free up landfill space from unnecessary and potentially harmful products. This community event held in Saline has provided recycling opportunities for items not readily available for residents to recycle in their local communities. Historically, some local municipalities hold one-day collections, but regional collections have reduced redundancy, enhanced service and increases opportunities for citizens residing in Washtenaw County. Regional Clean-Up Days can also decrease/prevent illegal roadside dumping by accepting solid waste disposal for items not otherwise accepted as part of traditional curbside residential pick up services.

The funding sources for this Regional Clean-up Day were provided by the Washtenaw County Solid Waste General Fund, suggested donations received at the gate, and a generous sponsorship of $500 received from the Saline Environmental Commission.

Saline Event History Overview