A new bill could help communities across the state develop better recycling programs.
The proposed legislation would establish a center for recycling development. With the help of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the center would provide loans, grants and other support to communities looking to improve their recycling infrastructure.
"There are environmental benefits that are hard to put a price on," said Dave Smith, East Lansing's environmental specialist. "I would expect that this could have benefits for us in East Lansing."
The legislation would help provide start-up costs for communities looking to increase their recycling volume, increase their recycling processing and manufacturing capacity and enhance their transportation systems.
Smith said programs such as this one could help galvanize communities across the state.
"When we kicked off our curbside recycling program, we saw a drastic increase in the amount of recycling volume," he said.
The city used grant money from the state to purchase the trucks needed to start the program. Once it was initiated, the city was able to fund the program on its own.
"Our recycling program is funded through solid waste millage," he said. The cost of the program is easily made back by the money the city saves in landfill fees, he added.
Michigan's recycling rates are much lower than its Great Lakes neighbors, said Bob McCann, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
"We are supportive of discussing ideas to improve Michigan's recycling rate," he said. "We are certainly lagging behind."
McCann said people in Michigan would be willing to recycle if access was available to them.
"It's the access to recycling options that limits our recycling rates," he said. "When you give people the ability to do recycling easier, it will encourage them to do so."
Eduardo Dominguez, a medical technologies junior, agreed with McCann.
"There are already a lot of recycling opportunities," he said. "If there were more, people would do it more often."
