Saginaw County Materials Management Planning

On January 8, 2024, Michigan’s Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Agency (EGLE), officially launched the start of the materials management planning process. Saginaw County must now begin the process of replacing the existing Solid Waste Management Plan with a new Materials Management Plan.

In December 2022, the state legislature passed amendments to the solid waste management laws with a goal to increase Michigan’s recycling rate to 45 percent.

 

Where is Saginaw County in the process?
  • Saginaw County has filed a Notice of Intent (NOI) with the State that it intends to write its own Materials Management Plan and not create a multi-county plan with adjacent counties.
  • The Materials Management Planning Committee (MMPC) has been formed and most recently met on May 23, 2024. This is the group that will oversee the writing of the new Materials Management Plan (MMP) and its implementation.
  • Saginaw County has hired Fishbeck to do the necessary research, collect the required data, and create a draft plan document. This work also includes creating the Work Plan required by EGLE which outlines every task the committee will tackle, including timeline and budget.
  • Once the work plan is approved by the MMPC and EGLE, the County will be eligible to apply for grant money set aside to help pay for the planning and implementation of these changes.
The new materials management plan must include: 
  • Information about waste volumes generated in the county and all materials management infrastructure
  • Current recycling and municipal solid waste rates
  • Recycling goals and strategies
  • Organics goals and strategies
  • Improved facility siting processes
  • Enforcement mechanisms
Benchmark recycling standards included in the new law:
  • By January 1, 2028, at least 90 percent of single-family dwellings in municipalities with more than 5,000 residents should have access to curbside recycling. Access includes areas where pickup is not provided by the municipality, but through subscription services. If the service offers curbside recycling for a fee, it counts as access.
  • By January 1, 2032, in counties with a population of less than 100,000, there is at least 1 drop-off location for every 10,000 residents without access to curbside recycling at their dwelling, and the drop-off location is available at least 24 hours per month. In counties with a population of 100,000 or more, there is at least 1 drop off location for every 50,000 residents without access to curbside recycling at their dwelling, and the drop off location is available at least 24 hours per month.
      • Currently, Saginaw County is at the 100,000 benchmark with 190,124 residents according to the 2020 Census.
      • Currently, there are two official drop-off sites in the county. Visit, https://www.recyclemotion.org/recycling for locations and hours.
Acronyms used in planning:
  1. MMP – Materials Management Plan
  2. CAA – County Approval Agency. The Saginaw County Board of Commissioners voted to become this for Saginaw County, rather than letting another agency or the state do it. This will retain local control over the process.
  3. MMPC –Materials Management Planning Committee. This is the group that will oversee the writing of the plan. It has a state mandated makeup of individuals representing various roles in solid waste management. Members must either provide services to or reside within the planning area and be defensible if challenged.
  4. DPA – Designated Planning Agency. The is the county department that will handle all administrative work for this process such as data gathering, meeting coordinating, and the actual writing of the plan. The Board of Commissioners chose the Health Department for this role.