Advocacy News – April 20, 2021
Michigan Chamber CEO Rich Studley recently joined leaders of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), bipartisan lawmakers and Meijer to announce NextCycle Michigan, hailed as the largest collaborative effort in state history to spark the state’s “recycling and recovery” economy. As part of the NextCycle Michigan initiative, EGLE announced that already in 2020 and 2021, $97 million is being committed to recycling projects through partners that in addition to Meijer include: Henry Ford Health System, GFL Environmental, Carton Council of North America, Goodwill Industries, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Foodservice Packaging Institute, U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development, Emterra Environmental, Washtenaw County, Great Lakes Tissue and more than 30 Michigan companies, organizations and nonprofits.
“I am happy to speak today in support of the NextCycle initiative because this program will increase innovation, and overcome barriers that have traditionally hindered Michigan’s recycling rates in the past,” Studley said. “Our state decision-makers wisely understood that partnering with Michigan’s business community to help develop market-driven solutions was critical to improving Michigan’s waste and materials management processes. The NextCycle initiative will be an important piece of accomplishing those goals.”
The Legislature two years ago in a bipartisan move voted to increase EGLE’s funding for recycling projects from $2 million annually to $15 million per year moving forward. The additional funds through Renew Michigan grants are being used to promote the development of recycling markets, increase access to recycling opportunities and support efforts to grow recycling at the local level, noted Republican state Sen. Wayne Schmidt of Traverse City.
As part of the Chamber’s commitment to the partnership, we encourage Michigan Chamber members to engage and collaborate across a diverse array of stakeholders to help regulators understand their needs, and bring solutions to the table.
If you are interested in learning more about Next Cycle and how to get involved, contact Mike Alaimo at malaimo@michamber.com