From left, Steve Wing, a maintenance worker for Ely Township and Jason Marietti, a maintenance worker for Ishpeming Township’s Department of Public Works, stand with the new Ishpeming Township recycling trailer at Ishpeming Township Hall during a glass collection event held Wednesday afternoon for residents of Ely and Ishpeming townships. The event ran from 1 to 6 p.m. and will be repeated on the first Wednesday of each month at the Ishpeming Township Hall along U.S. 41. (Journal photo by Katie Segula)

ISHPEMING — Ishpeming Township held its first glass collection event Wednesday afternoon, allowing residents of Ely and Ishpeming townships to drop off the recyclable material at the Ishpeming Township Hall along U.S. 41.

The event, which ran from 1 to 6 p.m. — and will be repeated on the first Wednesday of each month at the same time and location — had township staff on hand to help residents drop off their glass into a trailer that was recently purchased for glass collection.

Jason Marietti, a maintenance worker for Ishpeming Township’s Department of Public Works, and Steve Wing, a maintenance worker for Ely Township, assisted residents of both townships with the process.

“We had a good turnout today. I’d say the trailer is over two-thirds full,” Wing said.

The materials in the recycling trailer will be taken to the Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority building, where the glass will be processed.

This is part of a larger effort to help residents recycle, Ishpeming Township Supervisor Jim Nankervis told the Journal previously.

“The landfills in Michigan are filling up with waste and a large portion of this material can be recycled,” Nankervis said in a previous Journal article. “Marquette County Landfill invested approximately $6.5 million to create a recycling center at the landfill site. It’s up to the residents of Marquette County to be recycling the material that they can so we save space in the landfill. This is good for the environment.”

To allow curbside pick-up of non-glass recyclable materials, over 1,270 recycling containers will be distributed to Ishpeming Township residents at the end of April, township officials said.

The 64-gallon containers are part of the township’s efforts to simplify the recycling process by allowing home pick-up starting the week of May 3, according to a previous Journal article.

Katie Segula can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is ksegula@miningjournal.net.