Michigan Environmental Council

Environmental Groups Find Common Ground on Recycling Issue
MEC, MUCC and MRP Agree to Strengthen State's Recycling Effort

For Immediate Release:
June 16, 2003

Contacts:
Bill Bobier, MUCC, 517-484-4928
Donna Stine, MUCC, 517-371-1041
James Clift, MEC, 517-487-9539
Mary Dechow, MRP, 616-878-2469

LANSING, Mich. -- The Michigan Environmental Council (MEC), the Michigan Recycling Partnership (MRP) and the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) have agreed to cooperatively pursue measures that would boost the state's recycling rate and strengthen its litter control efforts.

The effort is based on a set of six principles that will guide their mutual pursuit of an effective solution to the state's growing solid waste problem. The groups - which disagree on expanding Michigan's bottle deposit law - will formally unveil the principles at the final hearing of the Senate Republican Beverage Container and Recycling Task Force being held tonight in Lansing.

"The formation of the Senate Beverage Container and Recycling Task Force prompted discussions among members of our organizations," said James Clift, policy director for the Michigan Environmental Council (MEC). "Despite differences of opinion in some significant areas, our efforts to find common ground have led us to recognize that we agree on -- and are committed to working toward -- one overarching goal: substantially increasing Michigan's recycling rate. In addition, we are committed to revitalizing Michigan's litter control efforts."

"Michigan's bottle deposit law is considered by the public to be one of the most successful environmental laws in the state's history," said Sam Washington, executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC). "However, Michigan's current recycling rate of about 20 percent is below the Great Lakes average of 26 percent and the national average of more than 30 percent. Efforts to strengthen Michigan's recycling initiatives have been modest -- prohibiting yard waste, used oil and batteries -- and proposals to enhance other recycling efforts have met resistance."

"Other states, provinces and municipalities -- including Wisconsin, Ohio, California, Nova Scotia, Portland (Oregon), Columbia (Missouri) -- have highly successful recycling initiatives that we have begun to review," said Mary Dechow, government relations director for Spartan Stores and MRP chair. "In addition, Texas has an exceptionally successful litter prevention campaign known across the country as 'Don't Mess With Texas.' We have committed to work together and encourage the Senate Beverage Container and Recycling Task Force to seek information from these communities to determine the best-practice models and how we might be able to put them into place in Michigan."

While once a leader in the area of solid waste recycling, Michigan's effort now falls well short of benchmarks set by other states, coming in at 28th in the nation. Governor Jennifer Granholm has challenged the state to achieve a statewide recycling rate of 40 percent within five years. To reach this goal, the three groups are collectively supporting six critical principles as part of a statewide comprehensive recycling, litter education and prevention initiative:

Encourage the establishment of curbside recycling programs in urban communities and recycling drop-off centers in rural communities.
Levy a $3/ton landfill tipping fee surcharge to provide needed revenue to support a dedicated, restricted funding source for comprehensive recycling and litter programs throughout the state.
Establish an across the board tax incentive for businesses that incorporate the use of recyclable materials in their operations and/or the operation of a business processing recyclable materials.
Strengthen and enforce Michigan's litter laws, including increased fines.
Establish a statewide litter prevention, education and awareness program.
After taking the above-recommended steps to strengthen recycling in Michigan, phase in landfill bans for certain recyclable materials.

"The members of the Michigan Environmental Council, the Michigan United Conservation Clubs and the Michigan Recycling Partnership are willing to assist the Senate Beverage Container and Recycling Task Force in any way we can to help accomplish these goals," said Dechow.

The Senate Republican Beverage Container and Recycling Task Force, chaired by Sen. Cameron Brown (R-Fawn River Township), is responsible for reviewing the state's current recycling efforts and the beverage container law. It meets for the final time at 7 p.m. tonight in the Senate Hearing Room in the Boji Tower, 124 W. Allegan, Lansing. The task force is expected to deliver recommendations to the full Senate in the fall.

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