Only a handful of days until International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW)! ICAW is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost industry, and residents, businesses, and communities alike are encouraged to learn and spread awareness about the benefits of composting.

The mission of ICAW is simple but powerful: bring people together to share the benefits of composting,and using compost to build healthier soil. From a poster contest to thousands of events and activities during the week, this week inspires action at every level. Communities, schools, governments, and businesses host celebrations highlighting all types of composting, from small backyard efforts to large-scale commercial operations, showing that everyone can play a part in creating a more sustainable future.

Composting is good for many reasons, including...

• Soil with compost needs less watering, fertilizer, and pesticides

• Improves soil fertility

• Stimulates healthy root development in plants

• Provides food for microorganisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition

• Free soil additive and natural fertilizer

• Promotes weed control

• Conserves all sorts of resources right in the dirt

• Diverts up to 40% of your waste stream

To learn more about why composting is so important to our environment and communities, visit CompostFoundation.org.

Composting at home not only cuts down on our dependence on trucks to haul yard waste to large-scale compost sites, but it also provides us with our own source of rich humus to reuse in our gardens. Check with your local DPW to determine if your city has any regulations on composting, choose a location (easily accessible and near your garden), and make/buy a bin! Learn more about backyard composting on our Composting page.

GREENS

Fruits

Vegetables

Egg Shells

Tea Bags/Loose Tea

Grass Clippings

Plant Trimmings

Water

Seaweed/Kelp

Manure from herbivores

BROWNS

Dry Leaves

Twigs

Straw/Hay

Pine Cones & Needles

Shredded Paper/Newspaper

Shredded Boxes/Paperboard

Old Potting Mix

Sawdust/Wood Shavings

Coffee Grounds/Filter

With the increase in products that require batteries to function (such as power tools, remote controls, laptops, smoke detectors, etc.), we often depend on them in our daily lives. Batteries of any kind, including alkaline and lithium-ion batteries, should not be placed curbside - whether it's in the garbage or the recycling bin. Doing so could cause a risk to your or the collection workers' safety and health. Batteries have the potential to start fires or cause explosions on the collection trucks, in the sorting facility, and even in your home if not handled properly.

An easy, free option for all RRRASOC community members is to bring their batteries to an HHW Collection Event to be properly handled and recycled. This not only keeps everyone safe and reduces the risk of fire, but also allows the batteries' chemical and metal components such as lead, silver, and lithium to be reused.

Taping the terminals of your batteries before bringing them to an HHW Collection Event will help prevent shorting out and any other risks.



For more information on how you can recycle your used alkaline, lithium-ion, or car batteries (and more), visit the Recycling Directory at RRRASOC.org!

During the following HHW Collection Events, all residents of RRRASOC member communities are welcome to bring household hazardous waste for an opportunity to safely discard their hazardous items and e-waste. Simple Recycling and paper shredding services will also be available*.

May 9, 2026

Oakland Community College:

Orchard Ridge Campus

27055 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington Hills

9:00am - 2:00pm

May 16, 2026 👕

Milford Civic Center

1100 Atlantic St., Milford

(enter from west of Mont Eagle St.)

9:00am - 2:00pm

July 11, 2026 👕

Wixom Dept. of Public Works

2041 Charms Rd., Wixom

9:00am - 2:00pm

October 3, 2026

Novi Dept. of Public Works

26300 Lee BeGole Dr., Novi

9:00am - 2:00pm

October 24, 2026 👕

RRRASOC MRF - Truck Entrance

20875 Mapleridge Ave., Southfield

9:00am - 2:00pm

*The T-shirt icon indicates an HHW Collection Event during which clothing, shoes, accessories, and small household items will be accepted by Simple Recycling.

For more information about HHW events and how to prepare your items, please visit our HHW page.

RRRASOC Recycling Directory

Not sure what to do with stuff?

Visit rrrasoc.org and use the Recycling Directory search bar to type in keywords and get recycling, composting, reuse or disposal instructions.

The searchable, intuitive format of the Recycling Directory provides RRRASOC-specific information.

Mobile App Available

Search "Recycling Authority" in your App Store or Google Play Store.

Want more tips, tricks, and updates about recycling? We have a Facebook page where we can reach each other to make recycling easier. You can also reach us via RRRASOC.org and email at education@rrrasoc.org!

RRRASOC - Recycling Authority | 248-208-2270 | rrrasoc.org