Washtenaw County Sets 30% Recycling Goal by 2029, Expands Food Waste Programs

Washtenaw County approved a Materials Management Plan. The target? Hit 30% recycling by 2029. Long-term aims push that figure to 45%. This plan answers 2023 changes to Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, as per Michigan's official government website, It now requires all counties to craft strategies that prioritize recycling and organics diversion instead of just tracking landfill capacity.

The changes became law March 29, 2023. Counties must establish concrete targets for diverting recyclables and organic matter, which includes food scraps, and lay out strategies with clear timelines for getting there.

Food scraps account for about 25% of what ends up in landfills around the area. "In both some of the state modeling and the modeling that we've gotten through our consultant with the materials management planning process, we're looking at 25--roughly--percent of material is food waste," said Theo Eggermont.

Eggermont works as Public Works Director at the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner's Office. He pointed out that food scraps produce methane and consume landfill space that might serve better purposes.

The area started a food-scrap drop-off pilot initiative in Ypsilanti, which was built to handle 300 households. This project will keep between 30,000 and 45,000 pounds of food scraps out of landfills in its first six months. Demand was huge. The program filled up fast, which got officials thinking about adding another spot in town.

Plans include bringing the venture to Dexter and Salem Township before 2025 wraps up. Officials selected these three spots to test how the program works in different environments: a packed city, a smaller town, and a rural township.

People who sign up get a countertop bin for gathering food scraps during the week. They bring the material to specific sites. A contractor hauls it to a composting facility, where workers blend it with yard waste to make compost for gardens.

The program got $10,000 in grants from the Biodegradable Products Institute, Closed Loop, and the U.S. Composting Council. Officials think the current diversion rate falls somewhere between 25% and 28%, but exact numbers are hard to pin down.

The area runs programs for hazardous waste, medications, medical sharps, and special cleanup days for big items, too. These efforts keep hundreds of thousands of pounds of material out of landfills each year. A Materials Management Planning Committee will look over a draft organics chapter before 2025 ends.