The Berrien County Parks Department is marking another successful year for its community recycling program.
Berrien County Environmental Property Manager Jaysen Field tells us the department hosted five recycling events in 2024, giving Berrien County residents a chance to drop off all kinds of recyclable items for free so they didn’t wind up in the normal waste stream.
Field says 1,985 people came out for the events. The events in 2024 collected more than 87,000 pounds of household hazardous waste. Another big category of materials was electronics.
“In 2024, we collected just under 43,000 pounds of that,” Field said. “Styrofoam, foam, polystyrene, that’s another huge item that we’ve been accepting. When you think about how light it is, it’s kind of amazing that we’re collecting 4,000, 4,500 pounds of that each year.”
Field says the events also accepted 2,500 tires. He says people who come out to the recycling events appreciate the opportunity.
“They’re the nicest bunch of people. They’re so thankful and so appreciative that we’re able to provide something like this.”
The county gets some grants to help support the recycling events, and budgets for them every year. They’re made possible thanks to the efforts of parks staff and more than 300 volunteers.
Field says the county also maintains recycling drop-off stations at the county’s two landfills that residents can use year-round.
The parks department is already working on the schedule for this year’s recycling events, and he says it will probably be similar to last year’s, with five events held in different locations around the county.
