Help Reduce Landfill Waste
How Should I Dispose of...
Can You Imagine?
By reimagining the way we handle waste, we can generate change.
What we throw away in West Michigan:
What the trash we throw away is worth:
OUR GOAL: REDUCE LANDFILL WASTE 20% by 2020 and 90% by 2030.
Let Us Help You
Reimagine Your Trash
MEDICAL WASTE
Flushing or throwing away prescription drugs presents dangers by seeping into waterways.
ELECTRONICS
Small electronics can be recycled to divert potentially hazardous substances from the landfill.
APPLIANCES
Metal can be salvaged from your refrigerator, stove, washer, dryer and other large appliances.
BATTERIES
Utilize one of our partner battery drop-off sites that accept rechargeable batteries for recycling.
Reimagine Trash News
Kent County keeps recycling despite turbulence
Kent County Recycling & Education Center in Grand Rapids receives recyclables from waste hauling companies that collect it at homes in West Michigan. In 2018 we received nearly 34,000 tons of recyclables and put 90% of those into recycling markets where they were...
read more
Gear Up for Spring Cleaning and Keep Clutter Out of the Trash
Refresh your home with these spring cleaning tips Seventy-seven percent of U.S. households will be tidying up their homes this spring, according to the American Cleaning Institute’s (ACI) National Cleaning Survey. The top spaces that will be cleaned include windows,...
read more
Kent County encourages residents to safely dispose of unused hazardous materials during National Poison Prevention Week
SafeHomes programs offer safe solutions for disposing of hazardous materials for Kent County residents Grand Rapids, Mich. – National Poison Prevention Week is March 17-23 and Kent County’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and (the Kent County) Health Department...
read moreThe Kent County Department of Public Works and The Right Place begin strategic partnership for Sustainable Business Park
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH (3/7/19): The Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) and The Right Place, Inc. have announced a multi-year strategic partnership for the planning and development of the Kent County Sustainable Business Park. Under the terms of the three-year...
read more
Meet Our New and (Even More) Qualified Education & Outreach Staff!
The Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) announced enhancements to department educational programs with the hire of Katelyn Nettler as a new resource recovery specialist. Lauren Westerman, also a resource recovery specialist, recently earned her environmental...
read moreKent County administrative offices closed January 30 & 31, other critical operations remain open
Due to the predicted extreme weather conditions, all Kent County offices and courts (Probate, 17th Circuit Court and 63rd District Court) will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 30 and Thursday, Jan. 31. Certain functions will remain open for critical operations such as the...
read moreFacts About Kent County Department of Public Works
The Waste to Energy Facility generates enough energy to continually power all the households in City of Walker.
DPW facilities recycle over 4,000 tons of steel every year, nearly enough to build the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
The SafeChem program safely disposed of 152,800 pounds of chemicals from homes.
The methane captured at South Kent Landfill generates enough energy to power nearly 2,500 households.