Northern Michigan residents invited to weigh in on local waste management

NORTHERN MICHIGAN (WPBN/WGTU) — About 24 million tons of solid waste were sent to Michigan landfills last year. Now, a regional effort is underway to potentially lower that number — but local officials need input from residents and businesses.

Networks Northwest is encouraging participation in an anonymous survey for residents and businesses in a 10-county region stretching from Emmet County south to Manistee.

The survey, available until January 5, aims to help counties modernize recycling, waste reduction, and sustainable materials management programs as required under Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.

“Anytime you can get more people in the room discussing an issue, you’re going to find areas you have not thought of,” Networks Northwest Community Planner Mike Szokola said. “This planning is crucial for Northwest Michigan to create a more efficient, cost-effective waste management system by understanding current practices and developing coordinated plans that include local input from residents and businesses.”

The data collected will be used to help local officials make decisions about policies and infrastructure spending to maximize recycling and reduce landfill waste.

“We’re looking at waste streams,” Szokola said. “The data is going to help us organize and understand current waste, recycling, and composting practices. We’re going to try to develop strategies for increasing sustainability, reducing waste, and improving the efficiency of local systems.”

The data collected will then be passed along to local officials.

They can then make decisions about policies and infrastructure spending in order to maximize recycling and reduce what ends up in the landfills.

“The more people we have at the table, the more surveys we can get in, the more feedback we receive, and the better understanding we’ll have of our streams,” Szokola said. “That allows us to apply infrastructure correctly and address issues more effectively, ultimately capturing more of our waste and better serving our communities.”