Margaret Guerriero, Chicago Region EPA official, speaks at the Lincoln Center as Mayor Charles Brunner, right, and Kurt Miller of Bay Regional Medical Center look on.

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City Gets $200,000 Grant from EPA for Uptown at Rivers Edge Cleanup

Mayor Brunner, County Executive Hickner Announce Earth Day Activities

April 20, 2008
By: Dave Rogers

The City of Bay City has received a $200,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for cleanup of the south 34 acres of the Uptown at Rivers Edge property.

The grant, according to City Manager Robert V. Belleman, is subject to a cooperative grant agreement with the EPA.

A $40,000 match requirement will be budgeted in the Riverfront Redevelopment account, Mr. Belleman said.

Mr. Belleman credited Mike Brandow of city development staff and AKT Peerless for efforts in securing the grant. The city will be advertising for an environmental consultant for the project in the near future, the manager said.

Meanwhile, the Bay County Health Department received a $25,000 grant from the EPA and county officials as well as Bay City Mayor Charles Brunner met with EPA Chicago Region 5 Land and Chemicals Division Director Margaret Guerriero at an Earth Day kickoff last Wednesday at the Bay Regional Medical Center's Lincoln Center.

Also participating were County Executive Thomas L. Hickner, County Board Chair Patrick Beson, Kurt Miller, director of marketing and public relations for Bay Regional Medical Center, Christopher Girard, president and CEO of Do-All, Inc., and Joel Strasz, public health services manager for the Bay County Health Department.

An outstanding turnout was reported from the first Mayor's Cleanup Day last Saturday, with residents bringing waste and recycling materials to six separate dumpster sites. The Cleanup Day was publicized by the Citizens District Councils and will be an annual event. It was held in conjunction with free compost giveaways at Veterans Park, aided by Boy Scout troops.

The grant to the health department will fund coordination of the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge and related activities involving collection and recycling of electronic and medical wastes such as outdated prescriptions.

Unwanted/unused medicines will be collected Wednesday, April 23 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Center, 820 S. Lincoln Ave. Persons disposing of medicines are asked to make a list on the back of a flyer provided by the health department. For more information, visit the health department website at www.baycounty-mi-gov.

Do-All, Inc., is cooperating by serving as the collection point for electronic waste, said Chris Girard of Do-All. Deposits will be received Wednesday through Friday at the Do-All facility, Cat's Meow, 1465 W. Center Ave. Persons wishing to dispose of electronic items are asked to register on the county website, co.bay.mi.us.

BAY COUNTY NEWS RELEASE

The Bay County Health Department in cooperation with Do-All Inc. will be offering a free E-waste collection on Monday, April 21st through Friday April 25th. E-Waste collection drop off will be held at Do-All Inc's Essexville location, "The Cat's Meow", at 1465 W. Center Rd. between the hours of 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. This event is open to all residents, is free of charge and provides an excellent opportunity to properly dispose of outdated electronic equipment.

Anyone wishing to dispose of their items MUST preregister by calling the Environmental Health Division at 895-4006 or complete the online E-Waste Registration Form.

Bay City residents, who are planning to drop off their household electronic waste at the Mayor's Cleanup day sites on April 19th, are asked to bring their materials to "The Cat's Meow" in Essexville during the week-long collection event.

Items being accepted at the event include: Computers, computer monitors, printers, televisions, cell phones, mp3 players, PDAs, camcorders, VCRs, DVD players, video games, recyclable batteries and fax machines. Please do not bring major household appliances, air conditioners, microwaves, smoke detectors, or other household chemicals and medicines - these items will not be accepted. In addition, we are not accepting AA, AAA, C, D, or 9-volt batteries.

E-waste contains possibly hazardous materials that can harm human health if disposed of improperly. This is of special concern to the Great Lakes environment, especially the Saginaw Bay. It is estimated that in 2005, Americans discarded approximately 2 million tons of TVs, computers and other electronic gear. Proper disposal and recycling are necessary to avoid unwanted pollution.###