Michigan Recycling Initiatives
Michigan has a statewide goal of tripling its current recycling rate from 15 percent to 45 percent.
To achieve this goal, five priority initiatives have been established: revising Part 115 solid waste laws, launching the Re:Source Market Development initiative, having state office buildings leading by example in recycling, developing a statewide Education and Engagement Campaign, and obtaining funding for recycling and solid waste management.
While the Department has received other additional recommendations to increase recycling in Michigan, these five priorities will be focused on first in order to best further our state in meeting its recycling and materials management goals.
SW Laws Revision
-
Solid Waste Laws Revision
The Governor’s Recycling Council and Solid Waste and Sustainability Advisory Panel developed recommendations to increase the recycling rate and update Michigan’s solid waste laws. The current laws are relatively silent on promoting materials management options other than disposal. The recommended changes shift the focus to seeing solid waste as a resource that promotes economic vitality, ecological integrity, and improved quality of life by ensuring recycling access for all Michigan citizens, revitalizing the materials management planning process, creating a level playing field for materials management facilities, and more. These recommendations also promote Michigan’s goal of tripling the recycling rate. 
Resources
- 2019 SWRA Members
- SWSAP Report
- GRC Report
- Solid Waste Policy
- FAQs
- SWSAP GRC Summary
- Webinar
- Sample Newsletter
- 2019 Part 115 Revisions from EGLE
- 2019 Part 115 Amendments Draft 1
- Draft Siting Process Flowchart
- Materials Management Planning 4-Pager
- Materials Management Plan Approval Process
- Current Siting Process Flowchart
- Composting and Organics Management 2-Pager
- Benchmark Recycling Standards 2-Pager
- Calculating a Recycling Rate 2-Pager
- Measuring Recycling: A Guide for Local and State Governments
- Solid Waste Laws Listserv
Re:Source
-
Re:Source Market Development
Re:Source is a partnership between Michigan Economic Development Commission and the Department of Environmental Quality that aims to increase market development for recycling in Michigan. The initiative will complete this goal by providing tools to businesses to spur recycling innovation by helping firms make connections to manage their supply and demand for recycled commodities.
State Agency Recycling
-
Leading by Example
For Michigan to be a leader in recycling, State agencies should lead by example to by providing recycling services for the state’s 40,000 employees and the general public. Growing these opportunities in facilities the state owns, manages, or leases by providing access to recycling services in these facilities will help increase the state’s recycling rate. Governor Snyder has issued an Executive Directive to all state facilities to provide recycling by 2019.
Education & Engagement
-
Education and Engagement
Ensuring residents understand the importance of recycling and how it can properly be done in their community will be critical to increasing recycling statewide. The “Know It Before You Throw It” campaign, commonly known as “Recycling Raccoons”, was developed to help residents understand their role in increasing the quantity and quality of material that is recycled in residential areas, businesses, and schools and help triple the state’s recycling rate.
Funding
-
Funding Information
Michigan needs a sustainable, broad-based, long term funding mechanism to implement a strong 21st century materials management system and implement the statewide initiative to more than double the recycling rate.
