"The idea is to really end the waste stream," LaMore said. "That the linear world we currently operate in — take, make, waste — is not a sustainable paradigm in a finite planet, which is what we have. The idea of circularity is to find ways to build-in reusable design materials so they can be reused and repurposed."

He said the model affects many aspects of daily life, especially in the manufacturing processes that we rely on for goods and services. 

LaMore is known for his work in Domicology, a term he coined and pertains to our built environment. The theory is to build in ways that can be deconstructed and repurposed in the future, creating a circulatory model. 

Katie Fournier from the Michigan Recycling Coalition was the first panelist to talk about Michigan’s policies regarding waste management. She said Michigan is on the precipice of creating a more circular model after a recent update to Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. Part 115, the update, allows Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to designate waste materials for differing purposes. 

"We’re setting goals for having curbside recycling in communities that haven’t had it yet," Fournier said. "We are planning for recycling and organics recycling and compost management in communities across Michigan."

She said while the costs of recycling and being environmentally conscious have been bore by residents in Michigan, the coalition is supporting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). 

"Let’s have the folks manufacturing new products put money towards the full life cycle of that product," Fournier said. 

EPR legislation is used in other states like Colorado and California, and would be less expensive for the state than the $1 billion that is put towards landfills annually. 

Conan Smith, the president and CEO of the Michigan Environmental Council, said they are working to update the Michigan Bottle Bill, what we know as the bottle return system. 

"It’s the most effective recycling program in the nation," Smith said. "The ninth most effective program in the world."

Smith said the program was started in 1976 by a citizen initiative and therefore doesn’t include many of the bottles we use today. As our economy and bottle usage changed, the bill has stayed stagnant. Part of the struggle to reform it comes from the policy system. It would take 75% of both chambers in Michigan and the governor's signature to change the bill. 

"We need a comprehensive modernization of the bill," Smith said. "But also to cover that 43% of containers that it doesn’t cover today in an expansion to water bottles, to those juice bottles, and we need to make it more convenient for people to participate."

Smith said pre-pandemic participation in the bottle bill was at 85%, but that has decreased by 12% post pandemic. The council has been unsuccessful thus far in getting 75% of the legislature's vote. He said the expansion of the bill would exempt those who provide emergency bottled water support to places who rely on bottled water from paying the deposits. This bill is an example of creating a circular economy that reduces wastes and incentivizes recycling. 

The Council has been working with Senator Sean McCann from Kalamazoo to craft the policy. He said they are looking to have the bill on the ballot in 2026. 

Daniel Schoonmaker of West Michigan’s Sustainable Business Forum said one of their goals is to support a circular and low carbon economy by changing the role of waste. 

"We want to rethink our economy with waste as the start of the manufacturing supply chain, not the end," Schoonmaker said. "We need to start rethinking about the value of these materials while also taking into account the environmental degradation that happens from landfills."

Schoonmaker said his organization supports the circular economy policies others are trying to pass. He said $8 billion dollars per year in materials are wasted when they could be part of the supply chain. 

In the second panel, Sen. Sam Singh joined the conversation over the phone. He said that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer suggested increasing tipping fees in Michigan. 

Tipping fees are the dollar amount per ton of solid waste other states must pay to import their trash. Michigan has one of the lowest tipping fees and receives waste from surrounding states and even Toronto. 

"There’s been a significant conversation in Wayne County, specifically around hazardous waste, and whether or not Michigan should continue to bring in hazardous waste to some of the Wayne County facilities," Singh said.

The money made from waste importing could then be used for recycling and clean-ups. Singh said he hopes throughout the upcoming Lame Duck season he can encourage groups that are having conversations with legislation to bring up the tipping fees and circular economy initiatives. 

"The difficult part is, there’s a limited amount of time," Singh said. "Really there’s three weeks, somewhere between nine and 12 session days. I just don’t know if there’s enough runway space and enough understanding of what an EPR is and what it does for it to get done."

Jeff Spencer, the manager of sustainability within the materials management division of EGLE, was also in attendance and said EGLE is also focusing on circularity. 

"I think our big challenge coming up is food waste," Spencer said. "We’re in the midst of hiring a food waste reduction specialist, so somebody that’s going to focus only on rescuing food, feeding people and working with restaurants, lodging and other associations."

EGLE also has an organics diversion specialist who focuses on reducing organics in the landfills. He said they can now focus on materials management and a circular economy because the first version of 115 allowed EGLE to get solid waste management under control.

LaMore finished the panel by thanking the crowd. 

"We look forward to our continued work as we try to end this linear world that we’re living in, that is unsustainable," he said.