Long-awaited changes to Michigan’s recycling policies are coming after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law an eight-bill package which would overhaul the state’s solid waste laws to promote recycling. The legislation – spanning from House Bill 4454 through 4461– would modernize waste management in Michigan and increase recycling and composting by overhauling regulations in the solid waste law, known as Part 115 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
Among the changes outlined in the package, it would divert more recyclable material from landfills and develop inroads to the growing circular economy for recyclables and compostable organics. The move was immediately hailed by supporters as being a critical update, with Michigan Recycling Coalition Executive Director Kerrin O’Brien thanking Whitmer, the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, and the legislature for advancing the policy.
“The changes to Michigan solid waste law embodied in this bill package are the key to growing recycling and composting opportunities for residents and businesses across Michigan. … We look forward to supporting local governments as they plan and implement programs and services to manage waste more productively in the future,” O’Brien said in a statement.
To read the full story, visit https://www.mlive.com/politics/2022/12/whitmer-oks-massive-overhaul-to-michigans-recycling-policies.html.
Author: Jordyn Hermani, MLive.com
Image: MLive.com