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Morton Township Recycling

8560 Midstate Drive, Mecosta MI 49332

Open every Saturday of the month – 9:00 a.m. to Noon

Open Wednesdays in the Summer between Memorial Day and Labor Day – 9:00 a.m. to Noon 

Morton Township first began offering a recycling service for Township residents in 2009. In all of 2018, Township residents on Saturday mornings brought to the Recycling Center on 9 Mile Road over 100 tons of materials for recycling. Expanding this service is under scrutiny by the Township Board. We do anticipate in the near future significant increases in the demand for this important service.

No garbage or hazardous materials are accepted and everything that is bundled or bagged needs to be in a clear bag. Cardboard is accepted but in separate bins.

Further questions can be answered at the Township offices at 231-972-7138.


Printable List of Recyclable Materials

Glass Bottles or Jars

Acceptable Material
  • clear and colored food or beverage glass
  • wash clean
  • remove lids & recycle (if metal)
  • labels are ok
NOT Acceptable
  • dishes or ceramics
  • light bulbs
  • window panes
  • mirrors
  • auto glass
  • other non-food or non-beverage glass

Mail & Office Paper

Acceptable Material
  • put shredded paper in a clear plastic bag
  • staples are OK
  • plastic windows in envelopes are OK
NOT Acceptable
  • pet food bags
  • wrapping paper
  • tissue paper
  • tissue, napkins
  • paper towels
  • waxed paper
  • food-coated or wet paper

Paperboard, Cardboard, Newspaper, Phone Books, Magazines, Etc.

Acceptable Material
  • flatten boxes
  • no plastic-coated paperboard that held liquid (e.g. milk cartons)
  • remove from plastic bags 
  • remove large staples & plastic wrap 
  • tape & labels are OK 
  • must be clean 
  • DO NOT bundle or tie together
  • remove plastic strapping, rubber bands and plastic bags
NOT Acceptable
  • milk or juice cartons
  • paper plates
  • boxes with glued-in foam or plastic packing
  • boxes with heavy staples
  • boxes with metal or plastic strapping
  • remove plastic bags & rubber bands
  • bound books
  • magazines wrapped in plastic bags

Plastic Shopping Bags

Acceptable Material
  • must be empty, clean & dry
  • must be stamped:     or


 This is the only type of bag we are able to recycle.

NOT Acceptable

Do not include any other type of bag

1 - 7 Plastics

Acceptable Material
  • must be stamped: thru located on or near the bottom of the plastic item
  • wash clean; labels are OK
  • throw away caps & lids
NOT Acceptable
  • bottles containing auto fluids or hazardous materials
  • STYROFOAM or any type of foam (cups, plates, packing peanuts, packaging materials, insulation)
  • plastic film and other non-rigid plastic (no garbage bags, zip bags, dry cleaner bags, etc.)
  • no bulky plastics (no pools or pool covers, no toys, no piping, no tarps or sheets of plastic)

Metal Cans & Foil

Acceptable Material
  • wash clean
  • labels are OK
  • aerosol cans must be empty – throw away cap & nozzle
NOT Acceptable
  • bakeware, utensils, pots & pans
  • hanger
  • car parts
  • scrap metal
  • fencing
  • propane cylinders or any other compressed gas cylinder
  • foil backed paper, gum wrappers, foil wrapping paper
  • lawn furniture
  • siding, window/door frames or any construction material

Unacceptable Items

  • electronics
  • plastic caps & lids – we cannot capture these small items on our conveyor belts
  • Styrofoam plates, cups, take-out boxes, egg cartons, packing peanuts – even if they are marked with a #6, foam of any kind is not accepted for recycling as it is not compatible with the other plastics and cannot be kept adequately clean in our system
  • foam packing material
  • batteries
  • scrap metal – contact a scrap metal dealer in the Yellow Pages
  • tools, screws or hardware – contact a scrap metal dealer in the Yellow Pages
  • propane or helium tanks – accepted for a fee at North Kent Transfer Station and South Kent Landfill
  • paint cans – contact a scrap metal dealer if cans are empty
  • pots, pans or silverware – contact a scrap metal dealer
  • ceramics – ceramics are not compatible with glass used to make bottles & jars
  • dishes, paper plates & napkins
  • windows, doors or mirrors – this type of glass is oversized and is not compatible with glass used to make bottles & jars
  • paper cartons & juice boxes – these containers are coated with plastic and/or metal which cannot be separated
  • label or sticker paper – paper is coated in plastic that cannot be removed
  • plastic-coated or waxy paper – plastic or wax cannot be removed from the paper
  • spiral-bound notebooks – metal binding is not recyclable with the paper
  • books – the glue or fabric binding on books cannot be mixed with the paper
  • pet food bags – bags are lined with plastic that cannot be separated
  • glitter, ribbon or embellishments
  • photographs
  • greasy or dirty paper
  • hazardous substance containers (that once held antifreeze, motor oil, etc.) – these cannot be adequately cleaned without harming the environment (pouring the substance on the ground or down the drain)