UP communities to get $1.4M in recycling grants
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Upper Peninsula communities will receive $1.4 million in recycling infrastructure grants, including $299,000 for the cities of Iron Mountain and Kingsford to purchase curbside carts and implement community-wide recycling, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced Tuesday in Marquette.
Combined, the cities of Iron Mountain and Kingsford will provide a match of about $75,000 for the recycling carts. Details on curbside collection will be finalized later this year.
Meanwhile, TRICO Opportunities Inc. of Kingsford will receive $30,000 to purchase a straight truck that will improve recyclable materials collection, according to EGLE. TRICO offers a number of recycling services at its Kingsford center, including confidential document destruction and recycling of magazines, newspapers, office paper, junk mail, books and cardboard. TRICO also contracts to package and collate items for local businesses.
Other U.P. grant recipients are --
-- Western Upper Peninsula Planning Development Region, $825,000 to assist with drop-off site improvement and expansion.
-- Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority, $143,000 to purchase a curbtender truck to self-haul recyclables from businesses and multifamily dwellings.
-- City of Ishpeming, $117,000 to purchase curbside carts.
In a news release from EGLE, state Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, said it's good to see more dollars coming to the U.P. to support increased technology in recycling efforts. "This funding supports and showcases the collaborative, community-driven efforts we see in this part of the state," McBroom said.
After the announcement, Michigan EGLE Director Phil Roos toured MCSWMA's Material Recovery Facility, which processes recyclable materials from across Marquette County using single-stream recycling technology capable of sorting about 600 tons of recyclable material each month.
The facility uses a SamurAI robotic sorting system that helps recover recyclable materials more efficiently by using artificial intelligence and a robotic arm to identify and sort recyclable items at speeds of up to 70 picks per minute, nearly twice the rate of manual sorting. The technology helps improve recovery rates, maintains efficient operations during periods of high volume, and allows staff to focus on additional material processing.
EGLE supported the facility's transition to single-stream recycling through an $800,000 Recycling Infrastructure Grant in 2019.
"Recycling is critical to extending the life of our landfill and what's best for our environment," said Paul Schloegel, commissioner for the city of Marquette. "Currently, the residents of Marquette County are not doing enough recycling. We need to continue to educate our neighbors about best practices and encourage them to use curbside service. Having the latest technology and equipment will certainly have a positive impact on our service as we continue to grow our recycling practices."
Roos also toured MCSWMA's Reverse Osmosis Treatment Plant, an innovative system supported by a $7 million Clean Water State Revolving Fund investment. The facility can treat up to 50,000 gallons of landfill leachate each day, removing PFAS and other contaminants before treated water is safely discharged, helping protect nearby waterways and the Great Lakes watershed.
"The Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority is very grateful for the CWSRF loan from the State of Michigan. Without this funding and the assistance of EGLE's Marquette District Office, this project likely would have never happened," MCSWMA Director of Operations Mike Stannard said in a news release. "Because of the funding, MCSWMA is treating leachate year-round and discharging an effluent that is cleaner than its receiving waters, ensuring that the landfill eliminates negative impacts to the environment and preserves public health."
Since 2019, when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took office, Michigan has deployed more than $121 million in recycling investments through the Renew Michigan Fund administered by EGLE. These funds have helped increase the statewide recycling rate from 14.25% before 2019 to a record high 26% in the most recent EGLE data analysis.
Over the same period, EGLE and national nonprofit The Recycling Partnership have together rolled out curbside recycling carts in more than 30 communities statewide, serving more than a combined 1.2 million Michiganders.
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Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.