Title
Resolution to Advocate for the Expansion of State of Michigan Recycling Grants
Memorandum
The State of Michigan through the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy provides a series of grant opportunities for third parties to promote recycling in the State. These grant programs include efforts to promote recycling among citizens, to build recycling infrastructure, and to contribute to the research and development of recycling end markets. This last grant program, the end-market development, is of particular interest to the City because of the importance of developing markets where recyclable materials can be economically used as a resource, especially given the disruption in the international recycling market that has caused the purchase price of recyclable materials to plummet.
Staff
Prepared by: John Fournier, Assistant City Administrator
Reviewed by: Howard Lazarus, City Administrator
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Lumm, Eaton, Griswold, Hayner and Smith
Body
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor is a community dedicated to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and creative problem solving;
Whereas, The City has historically been a leader in recycling, both in terms of community participation and in the innovative recycling programs that we have implemented;
Whereas, Over the last two years the market price of recyclable materials has dropped significantly, causing a crisis in local recycling markets and causing many municipalities to divert recyclable materials to landfills;
Whereas, While the City of Ann Arbor has maintained its recycling program over this stretch of time, it is clear that new end-market recycling opportunities need to be developed domestically to promote diversion of recyclable materials and bolster local recycling programs nationwide;
WHEREAS, In 2014 the State of Michigan created a recycling grant program under the now-named department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to propose to fund recycling end-market dev...
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