Michigan about to make recycling goals a statewide priority

Michigan’s new recycling rules are coming.

Michigan officials are changing waste regulations, to focus less on landfills and more on recycling

And this will be a major ideological shift: Michigan environmental regulations will soon encourage recycle and reuse of as many materials as can be plucked from the state’s waste stream, rather than past policies which generally allowed widespread landfill growth.

“Ultimately, we are all responsible for end-of-life management of the stuff that flows through our hands every day, and the state is really trying to help us move toward using that material as productively as possible to the benefit of community and the economy and the environment,” said Kerrin O’Brien, executive director at nonprofit Michigan Recycling Coalition.

Among the legislation passed in the final hours of last year’s lame duck legislative session was the overhaul of Part 115 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.

The changes would divert more recyclable material from landfills and develop inroads to the growing circular economy for recyclables and compostable organics. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the new law in late December.

Related: One Michigan county makes millions by recycling. It could become a state model.

Expectations are that recycling in Michigan could more than double under the new law. Boosting recycling rates is part of Whitmer’s climate action plan for the state.

Michigan’s statewide recycling rate lagged the nation at 19% in 2019 but is now about 21%. The national average is 34 percent.

State environmental regulators say they intend to officially call for new materials management plans in October, which are required for each Michigan county under the new law.

Counties will have three years to create a plan and put it in action. Grant money will be available to help counties take inventory of their waste stream and plan how to boost recycling access for their residents, whether through curbside services, drop-off centers, or periodic community events for recycling and hazardous materials collection.

“It’s what is being generated in your county, and what do you have available now to deal with it? And unlike the landfill mandate, it doesn’t say you have to account for every ounce of material that’s being generated. It’s being used more to generate the best data possible to help counties figure out what additional resources they may need,” said Liz Browne, materials management division director for the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

Once the state agency calls for county plans, each county government will have 180 days to notify EGLE whether officials intend to develop such a plan for their waste stream. The new law has specific benchmarks that counties will be required to meet.

Related: After Michigan senator takes $30k from landfills, recycling legislation rots

“We’re all working toward recycling at least 45% of our materials. We’re all also working towards benchmark recycling standards. And these benchmark recycling standards are really where the rubber meets the road because how do you increase recycling without having recycling opportunities available,” O’Brien said.

If county officials don’t do the waste stream planning work, local municipalities or regional groups will have a chance to take on the task. And if that doesn’t happen, state regulators will write the new plan for them.

“And we purposely devised the department-written plan to be very ugly because we don’t want to write the plans. We want the plans to be county generated,” Browne said.

Each county will receive $60,000 annually to write the plan, plus an extra $10,000 for each county which participates in a regional planning group. Additionally, counties will receive an extra 5 cents per capita up to $300,000 for the first three years.

The new law includes more than just recycling rules.

Among the other changes are an increase to landfill surety bonds to prevent costly environmental cleanups from becoming taxpayer problems.

The law also established standards for landfill gas controls and changes to expected landfill closure schedules to a case-by-case basis. Additionally, local officials gained more controls over the aesthetics and hours of operation at landfills, recycling, and compost facilities.

More details about the regulation changes can be learned at a series of regional meetings hosted by the Michigan Recycling Coalition. Four of the meetings already happened, and four are scheduled in October: Oct. 12 in Bay City, Oct. 19 in Petoskey, Oct. 20 in Escanaba, and Oct. 30 in Wayne County.

Finally, EGLE will host a virtual meeting about the planning process on Oct. 18.