The Michigan legislature just passed the historic eight-bill package designed to update Michigan solid waste law. Supporters expect the bills to be signed by the Governor soon.

This package is the product of 7 years of deliberation in workgroups that included more than 70 different stakeholder groups from Michigan Recycling Coalition to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. House Bills 4454-4461, which garnered significant stakeholder and bipartisan support, passed through the Michigan House of Representatives in late April of 2021 and finally received approval by the Michigan Senate on the final day of lame duck.

With funding secured and an updated policy framework finally in place, Michigan can begin to develop a circular economy to the benefit of Michigan's economy and environment.

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Communications Manager Hugh McDiarmid said, "The solid waste and recycling statute updates represent long overdue legislation to modernize materials management systems."

The Michigan Recycling Coalition led the effort to move the package through both houses. According to Michigan Recycling Coalition Executive Director Kerrin O'Brien, "The changes to Michigan solid waste policy embodied in the bill package mitigate the policy preference for landfill disposal of solid waste. Counties will soon be funded and incentivized to plan for needed infrastructure, programs, and services to manage waste more productively through reduction, recycling, composting, and more."

Late amendments to the package caused much consternation for the environmental community, but ultimately, the amendments addressing chemical recycling do not change the current regulatory structure. McDiarmid and O'Brien also clarify the fact that these types of facilities do not process solid waste and are not covered under Part 115, but are thoroughly regulated by other areas of environmental law, like those governing air quality and industrial groundwater.

"Updating the recycling laws in Michigan has been a discussion since I started in the recycling industry in 2016. This is a huge step forward for recycling and composting. I am looking forward to the prioritizing of landfill diversion and sustainable materials management in Michigan," said Andi Tolzdorf, Emmet County DPW Director.

In 2018, the Michigan Recycling Coalition worked with the Snyder administration to capture legislative approval for Renew Michigan. This fund provides $24 million annually to support productive materials management - specifically, $15 million is made available for grants and support for county planning resulting from these changes.

We want to thank our members and sponsors for their support as we continue to bring necessary changes to Michigan, to make the dream of a circular economy closer to a reality every day.