Michigan’s recycling rate rises as state continues to invest

Michigan is recycling more than ever before, but there is still plenty of room for growth.

The state’s recycling rate reached a record 23% in 2023, according to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Officials and advocates pointed to increased state investment but acknowledged there is still room for improvement.

Matt Flechter, a recycling market development specialist with the department, said the state wants to continue to increase that number.

“Just because we’re making amazing progress doesn’t mean we don’t have work to do,” he said. The national recycling rate is 34%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Michigan’s goal is to reach 30% by 2029.

Michigan’s recycling rate has been rising for years, but it started out lower than any other state in the Great Lakes region. In 2014, the recycling rate was just 15%.

Kerri O’Brien, executive director of the Michigan Recycling Coalition, said the increase is due to investments by state government and local communities.

“Recycling has gained traction in Michigan because individual communities have made it a priority,” she said. Michigan has also invested state money to expand recycling infrastructure, thanks in part to the Renew Michigan Fund.

That includes $5 million announced Monday, giving communities in southeastern, central and northern Michigan grants ranging from $140,000 to $900,000 to make curbside recycling more accessible.

That’s where the growth has been greatest, especially in switching from small bins to larger containers, Flechter said. Such changes make recycling more convenient, which means citizens are more likely to do it.

Access and cost are two major barriers to recycling across the state. According to a report from Next Cycle Michigan, about 19% of Michigan residents do not have access to pickup services.

The report also found that curbside recycling is not equitably distributed, with high-income neighborhoods three times more likely to use this service than low-income neighborhoods.

Flechter said the department’s goal is to make recycling as easy – and inexpensive – as throwing away trash.

O’Brien is confident that rates will continue to rise thanks to investments at the state level. In 2022, Michigan updated its waste laws and required all counties to create material management plans. That update also included resources to help communities create those plans.

“We as a state are just beginning to invest in recycling,” she said.