Hailey Iglewski from Michigan Consulting & Environmental introduced a composting program currently underway in Canton Township, MI. Chris Broadbent, Solid Waste Coordinator for the City of Kalamazoo reviewed solid waste handling in the City. Kalamazoo River cleanup events are beginning again as weather permits. The Natural World Symposium will be held in the Girl Scouts Regional Training Facility at 601 W. Maple Street, Kalamazoo on April 27th, 2024 from 9a-2p. The event is free – the first 50 Kalamazoo residents will receive a free No Mow May yard sign. No Mo May participants are reminded that mowing the following areas will still be required – the curb lawn between street and sidewalk, or 5 feet from the road edge where there is no curb lawn, at least one mower width on private property on the house side of public sidewalk, one mower width on any walkway approach to front porch of private property, at least 3 feet adjacent to neighboring property lines. The city was awarded a grant for energy efficiency and conservation from the US department of energy and purchased electric vehicle charging stations.
Bobby Glasser announced that the Federal EPA set new drinking water concentration limits for PFAS related chemicals. The allowable and legally enforceable amount for PFOA & PFOS content has been reduced from 70 to 4 parts per trillion. Water supply systems have 3 years to complete monitoring and compliance. Air quality monitoring targets ozone and particulate matter, with an air quality index below 50 considered good, emphasizing the importance of monitoring for human health and safety.
Information on a scheduled controlled burn for Asylum Lake between April 9th and May 15th, dependent on weather conditions, and updates to be posted on platforms like the Asylum Facebook page.
