Michigan Recycling Coalition on LinkedIn: Did you know since Michigan State University began recycling in 1990, the… (2024)

Did you know that the recycling, reuse, and remanufacturing industries have created over 72,000 Michigan jobs? Waste & Recycling Workers Week recognizes the frontline workers that sort, bale, and repurpose the materials we put in our curbside cart. We’re grateful for all of the work that goes into putting Michigan’s materials to productive use, directly serving our communities and helping us live more sustainably. Visit https://lnkd.in/gn9uMBHh to learn more about this initiative.

4

Out of the seventeen teams that pitched circularity-focused innovations at the NextCycle Michigan Summer Showcase, five teams of entrepreneurs and community leaders received awards upwards of $10,000. PittMoss® won the Michigan Recycling Coalition sponsored the People’s Choice award for Recycling Innovation & Technology accelerator track. They are an impressive manufacturer of a peat moss-alternative potting soil made out of recycled paper. Hemp for Humanity was not only the Foods, Liquids, and Organic Waste Systems Showcase Winner, but also received the People’s Choice Award sponsored by the Michigan Organics Council. At the end of the ceremony, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy sponsored an award of $5,000 distributed to each participating team.Congrats to the Summer Showcase teams!City of Detroit Office of SustainabilityBioWorks EnergyFull Cycle Logistics - https://lnkd.in/grpGVVTV Beaver Island - https://lnkd.in/gdJCRTkJ & https://peainetwp.org/New Horizon Property Management MIEmmet County Recycling (DPW)Eastside Compost - https://lnkd.in/gPCekdNESanctuary FarmsPrairie RoboticsFibarcode - https://www.fibarcode.com/Nowhere CollectiveChippin' In (CHIP BAG PROJECT)Great Lakes RecyclingTakeout TakeoutDesign Declassified

3

Kimberly Wolters goes above and beyond as a recycling advocate and leader, working to bring composting and even AI-powered contamination detection to Ottawa county’s recycling and sustainability efforts. She serves as the Environmental Health Supervisor for Ottawa County Department of Public Health. Kim’s dedication and leadership will help the MRC as we continue to reach big goals.

19

1 Comment

Attend the NextCycle Michigan Summer Showcase on June 12th to learn about promising innovations that can redefine Michigan recycling and organics. In this culminating event, seventeen teams of recent alumni from NextCycle Recycling Innovations and Technology (RIT) andFood, Liquid and Organics Waste Systems (FLOWS) tracks will pitch their circularity-focused projects to a panel of judges in the hopes of collecting awards and networking with future partners and investors.Connect with budding leaders in Michigan recycling and network with an audience of industry leaders, public sector decision-makers, and sustainability-focused investors at this free-to-attend event. Plus, experience a keynote from Phil Roos, the current Director of Michigan EGLE and longtime board member of environmental and conservation organizations. Register today to secure your spot: https://lnkd.in/gVsazP9N On Monday and Tuesday, current participants in the Intergovernmental Initiatives & Public-Private Partnerships (I2P3) and Recycling Supply Chain (RSC) tracks will begin to polish their pitches and business plans during an Accelerator Academy. Sign up for NextCycle’s mailing list to stay up-to-date on their projects and to hear news regarding the next showcase: https://lnkd.in/givwddBH

4

Diane is the former director of the Northeast Michigan Council of Governments (NEMCOG) and was instrumental in providing Northeastern Michigan communities with the expertise and staffing needed to support community investment in sustainability. Diane did not let a lack of funding stop her – while at NEMCOG, she spearheaded various resource recovery and recycling initiatives, including a collaboration with NextCycle Michigan to plan and fund a new Materials Recovery Facility in Alpena County. Diane brings experience and leadership that will be a great addition to the MRC Board.

15

Caleb Rutledge has over 25 years in nonprofit leadership and was recently recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business as a Notable Leader of Sustainability. As the CEO and President of Goodwill Green Works, an organization that has processed and recycled over 170 million pounds of material, Caleb is committed to repurposing waste and recovering assets while providing economic opportunities to underserved Metro Detroit residents. Caleb’s leadership, experience, and innovative vision are a great addition to the MRC Board.

20

4 Comments

With over 10 years of experience in recycling, Christopher Hewitt has served as the Center Operations Coordinator since 2019. In 2023 alone, Chris and his team diverted over 150,000 pounds of unwanted materials from residence halls that would have otherwise gone to the landfill! Chris’s expertise in community and university-based recycling efforts will be invaluable as the Michigan Recycling Coalition continues to grow to meet the needs of professionals and communities across Michigan.

28

Did you know that Oregon has eclipsed Michigan and now boasts the highest can and bottle redemption rate in the nation at over 90%? Two weeks ago, the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network hosted MRC’s Executive Director Kerrin O’Brien and 30 other delegates on tours of a wide variety of recycling facilities and deposit return facilities in Portland and Vancouver to highlightextended producer responsibility programs and deposit return systems. Kerrin and other sustainability-minded professionals saw both the Vancouver deposit return systems and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) in action. Advocates of deposit-return systems cite these programs as the most successful at recovering covered containers for recycling, and Oregon’s successful deposit return system is a source of inspiration. Coupling these laws with extended producer responsibility (EPR) can take Michigan’s waste reduction and recycling efforts to the next level. Visit circularmichigan.org to learn more about Extended Producer Responsibility and how it can help combat climate change and bolster our circular economy.

4

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is quickly becoming the next key step towards creating a more circular, closed-loop economy across the country. During an “expedition” led by the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network to Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon, MRC Executive Director Kerrin O’Brien and 30 other delegates witnessed first-hand the power of EPR. British Columbia’s Extended Producer Responsibility law, the first in North America, ensures that producers are held financially responsible for the proper recycling of the products they make. The result is a high-achieving and well-managed system that makes it easy for residents to participate, provides recycling options for a wide and growing variety of materials, and allows the province to serve as an incubator for the next big thing. Vancouver hosts a specific MRF for fiber and another for plastic and accepts flexible plastic for recycling. Learn more about the importance of Extended Producer Responsibility at circularmichigan.org and read about how these laws can ensure that recyclability is embedded into everyday products.

8