Seize the Moment: Michigan Materials Management Planning
Dream, Build, and Launch your Collaborative Compost or Recycling Projects with NextCycle Michigan
Do you know how your community can waste less and find long-term solutions to prevent organic and recyclable materials from ending up in landfills? That’s where it starts!
Ideas, passion, and a little coordination can help you apply to EGLE’s free accelerator program called NextCycle Michigan, facilitated by RRS. You can get a head start in your community through participation in NextCycle Michigan. Whether you are a village, township, city, or partner with these government authorities, NextCycle Michigan can help you launch your collaborative idea.
Taking the Leap: Initiating Collaborative Projects
Local governments are working with nonprofits, universities, and school districts for a better future. Are you ready to join the movement? Work collaboratively on projects that impact generations to come, get involved with NextCycle Michigan and the MMP process. This blog explains why.
"NextCycle Michigan is igniting innovation by empowering communities to lead the way in the circular economy. Through our Intergovernmental Initiatives and Public-Private Partnerships (I2P3) Accelerator Track, we're bringing together collaborative projects focused on recycling, reuse, composting, and anaerobic digestion. Communities have an incredible opportunity to access free professional support and consultation through NextCycle Michigan, ensuring they’re fully prepared to plan and implement their local Materials Management Plans (MMPs) with confidence and success."
— Elisa Seltzer, RRS Senior Consultant
Understanding Materials Management Planning (MMP)
Now is the time to seize the moment. Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has initiated the call for every county in Michigan to begin the process to create materials management plans. Participating counties will receive State funding to support planning and the implementation of public initiatives aiming to reduce waste, compost materials, and recycle or reuse products.
About NextCycle Michigan
Selected applicants participate in a six-month track that provides individualized project planning and technical support to move projects toward investment-attractive and implementation-ready status. Programming includes a two-day in-person workshop-based event, followed by six months of (mainly virtual) strategic training opportunities and access to expert coaches and industry experts. There is no fee to apply or participate in the program. Selected participants simply commit their time and effort. The program culminates with an in-person showcase event where participants pitch their projects to a live audience with the chance to attract investors, win monetary awards, and generate publicity.
Currently, the Intergovernmental Initiatives & Public-Private Partnerships (I2P3) Accelerator Track is seeking applications for public-sector materials management projects focused on collaborative waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and anaerobic digestion in Michigan. Projects can include scaling recycling systems, opening a drop-off center, developing a multi-community authority, expanding recycling access for multi-family, and many others. A public entity must lead teams in the I2P3 track with at least one partner; partners may be businesses, institutions, non-profits, or other governments/tribes/agencies.
Success Stories Inspire Action
The program has already witnessed successful collaborative initiatives:
North Oakland County Resource Recovery Authority (NOCRRA): Townships and municipalities around Pontiac leveraged NextCycle Michigan to explore forming a new resource recovery authority, demonstrating the potential for cost savings and improved local recycling systems.
The U.P. Recycling Collaboration: Upper Peninsula neighbors collaborated through NextCycle Michigan, developing a joint plan to expand recycling access in the region after applying individually.
Mt Pleasant Anaerobic Digester: Central Michigan University and the city of Mt. Pleasant partnered to ramp up anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and sewage treatment sludge, producing biogas fuel and improving biosolids for fertilizer.
Storm and Disaster Debris Management Plan: The Resource Recovery and Recycling Authority of Southwest Oakland County (RRRASOC) and SOCRRA developed a strategic Storm and Disaster Debris Management Plan to aid in sustainable cleanup in emergency situations.
Explore more projects from NextCycle Michigan Alum Teams.
Explore NextCycle Michigan’s I2P3 Accelerator Track
Let us seize this moment, unite our communities, and pave the way for innovative, sustainable projects that will shape Michigan’s circular economy for generations to come!
Visit NextCycle Michigan’s website for additional information about the program to help support your community with planning and implementation of collaborative projects. Applications for the Intergovernmental Initiatives & Public-Private Partnerships typically open in the first quarter of each year.