Recycle Ann Arbor

What Recycle Ann Arbor does

Recycle Ann Arbor is a 501(c)(3) community-based nonprofit organization founded in 1977 that operates an integrated zero waste recycling platform across four divisions: Material Recovery Facility (MRF), Recovery Yard, Drop-Off Station, and Curbside Pick-Up. The organization serves Ann Arbor residents and businesses, the City of Ypsilanti, and the broader Washtenaw County and Southeast Michigan region with single-stream curbside collection, construction and demolition debris recycling, hard-to-recycle material drop-off services, secure document and hard drive shredding, LEED certification support, and community reuse programs such as Boost Reuse and the A2 Area Reuse Network. Its core infrastructure includes the Zero Waste MRF (operational since December 1, 2021, designed to process 34,000 tons annually on a single shift) with Machinex sorting equipment, automated hydraulic hybrid curbside collection trucks, and a network of regional end-market partnerships including Ice River (PET bottle-to-bottle), TAB (HDPE bottle-to-bottle), Pratt Paper (ten-year paper agreement), and Rumpke (glass processing in Dayton, OH).

The business model combines municipal contract revenue (the City of Ann Arbor's ten-year curbside and MRF contract and the City of Ypsilanti processing contract), transactional user fees at the Drop-Off Station and Recovery Yard (residential gate fees from $3/day, large volume $15/day, roll-off container rentals from $355–$575, document shredding $6–$8 per bag/box, hard drive shredding $10–$20), grants and impact-investor funding (Level One Bank $5.1M, Closed Loop Partners $800K, State of Michigan EGLE $800K plus a $200K robotics grant, and a Washtenaw County waste reduction sponsorship for Boost Reuse), and material processing fees for hard-to-recycle items. The organization employs 50+ staff across driving, customer service, management, and operations roles, with workforce partially sourced through an Offender Success partnership that created 20 new union jobs. In 2025, the MRF diverted a record 22,556 tons of material from landfill and conserved 63,948 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions per the EPA WARM model.

Name

Recycle Ann Arbor

Legal name

Recycle Ann Arbor

Website

https://recycleannarbor.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Recycle Ann Arbor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1977 operating an integrated zero waste recycling platform across a Material Recovery Facility, Recovery Yard, Drop-Off Station, and curbside collection, serving Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Southeast Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recycling and Waste Management Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Waste Collection (56211)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Single-Stream MRFs (Residential Curbside) (EUAIADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Curbside MSW Collection (BPALAAAA), Construction & Demolition (C&D) Recycling MRFs (EUAIADAD)

Keywords

• Curbside recycling
• Material recovery facility
• Construction debris recycling
• Waste management services
• Zero waste processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Dexter

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Municipal Contracts: Contracted by the City of Ann Arbor to collect recyclables weekly from City residents via curbside pick-up. Also contracts with City of Ypsilanti and surrounding areas for MRF processing services.
2. Gate and Entry Fees: Drop-Off Station and Recovery Yard funded by fees collected from site users. Residential gate fee of $3/day, large volume $15/day. Hard-to-recycle fees additional.
3. Material Processing Fees: Additional charges for materials brought in including electronics, appliances, tires, yard waste, construction debris, and other waste services. Roll-off container rentals from $355-$575.
4. Secure Shredding Services: Secure document and hard drive shredding services at Drop-Off Station. Document shredding at $6-8 per bag/box, hard drive shredding at $10-20.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Recycle Ann Arbor operates a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit recycling system through four divisions: a Drop-Off Station for hard-to-recycle materials, a Recovery Yard providing construction and demolition (C&D) recycling plus roll-off container rentals, a Curbside Pick-Up single-stream residential and business collection service, and a regional Zero Waste Material Recovery Facility (MRF) that sorts and processes recyclables. Supporting paid offerings include secure shredding, Boost Reuse drives, LEED certification support, and the A2 Area Reuse Network directory.

Product overview

Recycle Ann Arbor operates a multi-division recycling and zero waste system consisting of four core operational divisions: Drop-Off Station (community recycling center for hard-to-recycle materials), Recovery Yard (construction and demolition recycling with roll-off containers), Curbside Pick-Up (single-stream residential and business recycling collection), and Material Recovery Facility (zero waste MRF for sorting and processing recyclables). Supporting programs include Boost Reuse (reuse and repair initiative), A2 Area Reuse Network (donation resource directory), LEED Certification Services (construction waste tracking), and Secure Shredding Services (document/hard drive destruction). The organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1977, with the MRF redeveloped in 2021 as a $7.25M facility with state-of-the-art Machinex equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Boost Reuse: A community reuse drive initiative developed by Recycle Ann Arbor that aims to reduce and divert materials headed toward the landfill by moving materials up the zero waste hierarchy.
• Drop-Off Station
• Recovery Yard
• A2 Area Reuse Network

Products and services

• Drop-Off Station Services Community-supported, one-stop drop-off location for recycling and safe waste disposal serving Washtenaw County residents and businesses. Accepts hard-to-recycle materials (electronics, appliances, textiles, plastic bags, freon appliances, lightbulbs, tires) plus traditional single-stream recyclables. Funded through gate fees.
• Recovery Yard (C&D Recycling) Michigan's only nonprofit, mission-based construction and demolition recycling facility. Provides C&D debris recycling, roll-off container rentals, and drop-off recycling to contractors, residents, and commercial haulers in Southeast Michigan, with a zero-waste sorting approach.
• Curbside Single-Stream Pick-Up Weekly single-stream curbside recycling collection for City of Ann Arbor single-family residences, apartments, and businesses under a ten-year municipal contract funded through City of Ann Arbor taxes. All recyclables are placed into one bin without separating papers from containers.
• Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Processing Regional Zero Waste Material Recovery Facility that sorts and processes single-stream recyclables for the City of Ann Arbor, City of Ypsilanti, and surrounding Southeast Michigan communities using Machinex sorting equipment. Routes over 98% of materials to end markets within 200 miles.
• Roll-Off Container Rental Services Rental of 10, 20, 30, and 40 cubic yard roll-off containers for home renovations, construction sites, and industrial use. Containers are sorted at the Recovery Yard to maximize material recovery and landfill diversion, with $355-$575 per 7-day rental plus delivery fuel charges.
• Secure Shredding Services Secure document and hard-drive shredding at the Drop-Off Station. Documents are placed in lock boxes and shredded offsite. Hard drives are shredded with serial-number recording. Grocery bag $6, banker box $8, hard drive $10-$20.
• LEED Certification Services Assistance for contractors meeting LEED goals and project certification standards. Provides complete tracking and reports to demonstrate the percentage of construction and demolition debris recycled through the Recovery Yard.
• Boost Reuse Program Community reuse drive initiative developed by Recycle Ann Arbor that diverts materials from the landfill by moving them up the zero-waste hierarchy through reuse, repair, and donation collection programs. Operates in partnership with Washtenaw County Water Resources Materials Management Division and community groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,556 tons diverted from landfill in 2025 - record amount
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Offender SuccesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide program helping returning citizens find jobs. MRF provides 20 new union jobs staffed in part through this partnership to support workforce reintegration.
• A Brighter WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit providing support, resources, and advocacy for community members returning home from incarceration. Assists returning citizens with housing and support services in partnership with Offender Success.
• Nothing Left to WastecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLead consulting firm on MRF project with 30 years of expertise in operations, policy, program design and advocacy. Provided implementation strategy for zero waste MRF development.
• Ice RiverstrategicTechnology or IntegrationEnd market partnership for bottle-to-bottle recycling of PET materials (soda, water bottles). Ensures materials are recycled back into new bottles.
• TABstrategicTechnology or IntegrationEnd market partnership for HDPE plastic recycling. Bottle-to-bottle agreement for processing HDPE materials.
• Pratt PaperstrategicTechnology or IntegrationTen-year agreement to process all paper at tree-free regional mill. Ensures paper recyclables reach highest and best use.
• Washtenaw County Water Resources Materials Management DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided waste reduction sponsorship funding for Boost Reuse program focused on reuse and repair initiatives. Supports circular economy through community drives.
• Level the Playing FieldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization receiving donated sports equipment collected through Boost Reuse drives. Equipment valued at $18,154 distributed back to community.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Ecology Center: Ann Arbor-based environmental nonprofit that historically operated as Recycle Ann Arbor's parent and remains connected via shared board leadership; relevant as a mission-aligned ecosystem partner in zero-waste programming.
• Closed Loop Partners: Investment firm focused on circular economy; provided $800K to Recycle Ann Arbor's MRF and funds multiple MRF and recycling infrastructure projects — comparable as a peer funder/operator in the mission-driven recycling space.
• Pratt Industries / Pratt Paper: Recycled paper mill operator with a 10-year offtake agreement with Recycle Ann Arbor; comparable as a downstream end-market partner and as a paper-recycling-focused operator in the same value chain.

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management Inc. Largest US waste and recycling company operating MRFs, curbside collection, and C&D services nationwide; comparable as a comprehensive recycling and materials recovery competitor.
• Republic Services: National waste management company with recycling processing, hauling, and MRF operations; comparable broad competitor in residential curbside recycling and materials recovery.
• Rumpke Waste & Recycling: Large regional integrated waste and recycling company operating MRFs, hauling, and processing across the Midwest; comparable as a single-stream MRF and curbside hauler, and is already an end-market partner for Recycle Ann Arbor's glass stream.

Direct peers

• Calvert's Roll-Off Containers (acquired): Predecessor C&D roll-off container business acquired by Recycle Ann Arbor in 2007 and rebranded as The Recovery Yard; reference peer for the C&D roll-off and recycling segment of RAA.

Regional players

• Washtenaw County Water Resources Materials Management Division: County-level materials management authority that sponsors Boost Reuse and oversees regional recycling planning; comparable as a regional public-sector recycling coordinator operating in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/recycleannarbor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/recycle-ann-arbor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Recycle Ann Arbor