Ann Arbor environmentalists express concerns over Waste Management plant takeover

The MLive Media Group, Lansing, Michigan, reports Ann Arbor environmentalists are concerned by the city council’s decision to allow Houston-based Waste Management Inc. (WM) to operate the Ecology Center recycling facility for six weeks. 

“To my mind, employing Waste Management to run the city of Ann Arbor’s recycling facility is something like hiring a former oil company executive to run the Department of Environment Quality,” Ecology Center Director Mike Garfield says in the article.  “It flies in the face of all the values we say we hold dear.” 

“We strongly believe that recycling can work for everyone—residents, cities and service providers,” Waste Management spokesman Tom Horton writes in a statement. “It sometimes, however, takes some gives and takes on all sides to make sure it works for everyone. Waste Management will carry out the stipulations in a contract the city council passes as the material recovery facility belongs to the city of Ann Arbor and not [to] Waste Management.” 

The council approved a $295,690 emergency purchase order for WM’s services Aug. 4, 2016, following the termination of the city’s contract with the previous plant operator, ReCommunity, Charlotte, North Carolina. July 27, ReCommunity filed a lawsuit, claiming the city was financially motivated by its decision to fire the company.

The article says the city council will review a separate, short-term operating agreement soon.

“Once a successful offeror is identified, we will take that contract back to council for approval,” City Administrator Howard Lazarus told MLive. “After that, we will continue to work on a revised contracting approach for long-term operations.”