Back Home Next

 

SOCRRA

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ON WASTE/RECYCLING

What do I do with...?

 

SOCRRA only takes washers, dryers, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. for free at the Troy Transfer Station as long as “Freon has been removed sticker” is on the item – place in “scrap metal” pile on west side of the building.  If Freon needs to be removed, there is a fee.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
 

A regular trash item; not the same type of asbestos that is used for insulation or pipe wrap.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
 

Not acceptable-must be delivered directly to any licensed sanitary landfill in yellow garbage bags labeled "asbestos". Can't be compacted in a garbage truck or through a transfer station because the harmful fibers will become airborne.

SOCRRA doesn't accept engines (call a junk yard).  SOCRRA will take metal doors or metal bumpers for free-as scrap metal at the Troy Transfer Station.  Place in scrap metal pile on west side of the building.  Click here for location and hours of operation.
  

Residents in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities should place these small batteries in a plastic baggie in their recycling bin.  SOCRRA doesn't accept batteries from businesses, nor from non-residents due to high cost for disposal.  Not accepted at SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center either.  
  

Recyclable at SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center at no charge (cannot be placed in the curbside bin). Home Depot, just north of the MRF, takes rechargeable batteries from small power tools.   Click here for location & hours of operation.
 

Hardcover books can be dropped off at SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center (cannot be placed in the curbside bin).  Paperback books can be placed in the curbside bin. Click here for location & hours of operation.
 

Residents of Ferndale, Hazel Park, Lathrup Village & Oak Park are to neatly stack 4 to 4 1/2-foot long branches at the curb on collection day, with large ends closest to the street, so they can be chipped by their City's contractor.  (Chipping service for Ferndale, Hazel Park and Lathrup Village is for 52 weeks a year; Oak Park's chipping service is for a 41 week season starting with the first full week in April).  Or, branches can be cut into 4 to 4 1/2 feet lengths, bundled with twine and placed at the curb to be collected as trash (bundles cannot weigh more than 40 pounds).

Residents of Beverly Hills, Clawson & Royal Oak are to cut branches 4 to 4 1/2 feet long and bundle.  Bundles will be collected by yard waste collector for composting.  Shorter sticks should be placed in yard waste bags for pickup by yard waste collector.

Residents of Huntington Woods are to neatly stack all branches for chipping by the City's contractor. Chipping service is for 52 weeks a year.

Residents of Berkley, Birmingham, Pleasant Ridge & Troy are to bundle 4 to 4 1/2-foot long branches with twine and place at the curb to be collected as trash (bundles cannot weigh more than 40 pounds).

Residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities can bring compostable bundles (branches less than 4 feet long and less than 2 inches in diameter) into the Troy Transfer Station during the winter months (check the web site for actual dates) at no charge.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.

Small twigs are not considered brush and should be placed with yard waste. 
 

See Waste Reduction Guidebook for reuse options, otherwise bring these materials to SOCRRA for disposal.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
 

To have your cardboard boxes picked up for recycling at curbside, prepare in one of the following ways:
1) Unfold, flatten and bundle boxes with twine or tape and place inside, next to or under bin.  Bundles must be no larger than your recycling bin.

2) Unfold, flatten and stuff tightly all boxes and paper items into a larger box (no larger than the size of your recycling bin).

3) Residents of Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Ferndale and Royal Oak may set large, empty appliance boxes next to recycling bin.  Make sure boxes are clear of packing materials and trash.  No need to break them down!

You can also bring them to SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center "as is" - no need to break them down, tie or tape them.  Click here for location & hours of operation.
 

These items can be brought to SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center (cannot be placed in the curbside bin).  Please remove discs from plastic cases & place in separate containers in shed.  Click here for location & hours of operation.
 

Label them as best you can.  Residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities can bring them in through the HHW program by appointment only (248.288.5153).
 

See concrete.
  

Compost is usually available at member municipalities' DPWs for their residents only (check with your DPW to see if they have a supply on hand).  SOCRRA usually has compost available at the Compost Site in Rochester Hills from spring to fall.  Shovel all you want for free or we'll load your vehicle for a fee.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
  

  • COMPUTERS (See Electronic Equipment)

     
  • CONCRETE

Take to: Novi Crushed Concrete, 46900 W. 13 Mile Road in Novi (free) 248.305.6020, T J Fiore Crushed Concrete for inexpensive disposal (33300 Mound Road in Sterling Heights) 586.939.6200.  Otherwise, SOCRRA accepts at Troy Transfer Station for a fee.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
  

Technically not a hazardous waste, but since a liquid (i.e., not a “solid waste”), should not be thrown in trash. Residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities can make a HHW appointment for this.  Call 248.288.5153.
 

Residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities can place these items in their recycling bin; otherwise, anything that plugs into an electrical socket can be deposited into the scrap metal roll-off at SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center. Click here for location and hours of operation.
 

Residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities only; no businesses---must make appointment via HHW hotline (248.288.5153) to drop off at Troy facility. Resident can bring in HHW at same appointment.  There's an 80 pound per appointment limit.  Phone line for making appointments sporadically staffed from 10 am - 4 pm M-F.  Government offices in any of SOCRRA's member communities can make an appointment at 248.288.5150 to bring in their computers (but no other electronics).  Residents are responsible for removing personal information from computers if they want to.  (There are programs available that help to erase hard drives (SOCRRA does not recommend or endorse any programs).  Some data experts suggest physically destroying a hard drive by drilling holes in it (per Best Buy's Geek Squad), slicing it into pieces, having at it with a hammer or other extreme physical methods.  There are also local tech experts that can do the work for you.)
 

SOCRRA doesn’t accept from businesses; residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities must make HHW appointment.  Call 248.288.5153.  Incandescent light bulbs are a trash item.
  

SOCRRA will accept appliances with the Freon still in them, at Troy Transfer Station, for a fee.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
  

Will take at Troy Transfer Station via HHW appointment (residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities only; no businesses).  Needs to be brought in a State Fire Marshal-approved container (not a milk jug).  Cannot return container since SOCRRA doesn't dump the fuel, only places resident's container in a 55-gal drum for disposal.  Call 248.288.5153 to schedule appointment.  Residents can bring in gas cans through the Household Waste program.  They are not accepted as scrap metal through the SOCRRA Drop-Off Center as they present explosion hazards when items are shredded.
  

All colored glass bottles and jars (including green and blue) can be placed in the curbside recycling bin in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities or brought to SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center.  Metal lids can remain on bottles.  Click here for location and hours of operation.
  

 

248.288.5153 (Troy Transfer Station Site).  It is important to make an appointment so that we can screen for residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities, for traffic control at the site, and to screen the types of materials that a resident may bring in.  The appointment system has been modified to be more accommodating for residents.  Rather than arriving at a specific time, residents have the option of selecting the morning or afternoon to deliver their materials to the site.
 

Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
 

Residents in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities should place in metal coffee can and bring in via HHW appointment. Call 248-288-5153.
 

Place in paper or plastic bag in curbside bin in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities with newspapers and other mixed fiber.
 

Cut to 4 feet lengths or less, bundle and place at the curb as trash.  Bundles cannot weigh more than 60 pounds (no loose material).  You can also bring them to the Troy Transfer Station (maximum length is 8 feet).  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.

Burn as firewood or cut to 2 foot lengths or less, bundle and place at the curb as trash.  Bundles cannot weigh more than 60 pounds.  You can also bring them to the Troy Transfer Station (maximum length is 8 feet).  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.

Cut to 4 foot lengths or less, bundle and place at the curb as trash.  Bundles cannot weigh more than 60 pounds.  You can also bring them to the Troy Transfer Station (maximum length is 8 feet).  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
 

Berkley, Beverly Hills, Birmingham, Clawson, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak, Troy.
  

Residents in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities can place any kind of metal in their curbside recycling bin.  If it fits in the bin, put it in!  If it is too large for the bin, bring to SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center.  If the item is mostly metal and is small enough to fit in your recycle bin, put it in.  If the item is mostly metal, but larger than your recycle bin, please bring to the SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center.  If the item is mostly plastic, please throw away.  Christmas lights may be brought to SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center and placed in the scrap metal container.  Bulbs do not need to be removed.  Click here for location and hours of operation.
 

Residents in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities can place in their curbside recycling bin or deposit in the scrap metal roll-off at SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center.  Click here for location and hours of operation.
 

  • MILK CARTONS

    See "PAPERBOARD BEVERAGE CONTAINERS AND DRINK BOXES".
     

If dried thick crust of paint – put in trash or scrape out so empty can is recyclable.
If liquid paint is still in can – residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities can make an appointment through HHW.  Call 248-288-5153 to schedule an appointment.  Click here to see a "how-to" video on drying latex paint.  Once the paint is dry, it is safe to place in the trash.
 

  • PAPER

    Office paper, tissue paper, gift wrap, holiday cards, junk mail, construction paper, manila folders, loose-leaf paper, computer paper, carbonless forms, magazines & catalogs, telephone books (place loose in bin or in bag with all other fiber), newspapers, paperback books - Place all together in a brown paper (or plastic) bag in your curbside recycling bin or bring to SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-Off Center.  (No Kleenex, toilet tissue, paper towels or napkins.)  Shredded paper can be placed in tied, see through plastic bags in the curbside bin in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities or you can bring to SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-Off Center.      Click here for location & hours of operation.

  • PAPERBACK BOOKS

    Place     in brown paper (or plastic) bag in curbside bin in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities or bring to SOCRRA'S Recycling Drop-Off Center.  Click here for location & hours of operation.

Residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities only; call HHW hotline to set
     up appointment (248.288.5153).

  • PLASTIC BAGS

    Clean, empty plastic bags are accepted at SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center (cannot be placed in the curbside bin).  The following are accepted by SOCRRA's plastic recycler at this time:  Plastic bags from grocery/drug stores/dry cleaners/bags newspapers come in/bread bags/clean empty trash bags.  Place the bags in the containers in the Plastic Bag shed.  No twine or plastic handles please.      Click here for location & hours of operation.

     

  • PLASTIC CONTAINERS

     All plastic containers (must be a container!) can be placed in your curbside bin in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities or can be dropped off at SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-Off Center - no need to look for the number on the bottom of the container.  (No polystyrene; no Styrofoam).  Examples of acceptable material are water bottles, tubs, trays, buckets (kitty litter containers), milk jugs, orange juice containers, soap containers, microwave dishes, Cool Whip containers, butter tubs, shampoo bottles, molded plastic containers (like strawberry containers, plastic flower flat containers), etc.  Please make sure they are empty and rinsed out.  Also please remove hard plastic caps and discard.  Soft lids that come on yogurt containers, butter tubs, etc. can stay on the container.  Plastic trash cans or even old recycling bins can be recycled at SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-off Center.  Click here for location & hours of operation.

Residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities only; call HHW hotline (248.288.5153).  These are not accepted as scrap metal at SOCRRA's Recycling Drop-Off Center as they present explosion hazards when items are shredded.  If you live outside SOCRRA's boundaries, call your local DPW.  Consider taking empty tanks to exchange center (at hardware store or gas station) for refill as a spare.

Cut in lengths less than 4 feet, bundle and place at the curb as trash.  Bundles cannot weigh more than 60 pounds.  You can also bring them to the Troy Transfer Station (maximum length is 8 feet).  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
 

Throw in the trash.
  

Accepted at the Troy Transfer Station for a fee.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
  

Styrofoam is a trash item.  Save pieces for packaging and discard the surplus.
  

Will only take those that are not broken, from residents in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities.  Call HHW hotline to set up appointment (248.288.5153).  If thermometer is broken and/or resident wants to discard carpet, etc. from a spill---SOCRRA cannot accept---call the county health department.
  

Whole tires are no longer acceptable for disposal in landfills (per State).  Residents are encouraged to take tires to a tire installation store for proper disposal for a small fee.
  

Residents of Berkley, Birmingham, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Lathrup Village & Oak Park are to neatly stack 4 to 12-foot long branches (up to 6-inch diameter) at the curb, with large ends closest to the street, so they can be chipped by their City's contractor.  Or, branches can be cut into 4 to 4 1/2 feet lengths, bundled with twine and placed at curb to be collected as trash (bundles cannot weigh more than 40 pounds).

Residents of Beverly  Hills, Clawson, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak & Troy are to cut branches 4 to 4 1/2 feet long, bundle and place at curb, for collection as trash, or hire a private contractor to chip branches.

Residents of Huntington Woods are to neatly stack 4 to 12-foot long branches (up to 6-inch diameter) for chipping by the City's contractor.

Residents of SOCRRA's Member Municipalities can bring compostable bundles (branches less than 4 feet long and less than 2 inches in diameter) into the Troy Transfer Station during the winter months.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.

Small twigs are not considered brush and should be placed with yard waste. 
 

Accepted at the Troy Transfer Station for a fee.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
  

Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
  

SOCRRA has a certified scale at the Troy MRF and will provide weight and ticket.  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
  

  • TWIGS

    Pencil-thin twigs should be broken up and placed in yard waste bag or container for composting.
  • VIDEOTAPES

    See "CDs, DVDs, VIDEOTAPES AND CASSETTES"

 

Cut in lengths less than 4 feet, bundle and place at the curb as trash.  Bundles cannot weigh more than 60 pounds.  You can also bring them to the Troy Transfer Station (maximum length is 8 feet).  Click here for location, hours of operation & rates.
 

Residents (not businesses) in SOCRRA's Member Municipalities can bring their Christmas trees, bags of leaves or brush bundles to the Troy Transfer Station over winter months only (usually early December to early April), for composting, at no charge.  SOCRRA does not accept grass in plastic bags because the grass becomes very odorous between the time the lawn is cut and the time the material is collected at the curb.  Residents can bring leaves in plastic bags, but they will have to empty them themselves since we do not accept the plastic bags with the yard waste. Click here for location & hours of operation.

Copyright © 2006 [SOCRRA]. All rights reserved.
Revised: July 12, 2010.