Despite the current recycling issues happening across the country, Michigan is situated in a thriving region where recycling end markets are available and seeking to collect new materials, such as foodservice packaging. As communities continue to strive to meet waste diversion goals, they are met with barriers and questions of what to do next. 

Ken County was recently provided a grant in partnership between the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) and Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to assist recycling and recovery in West Michigan. 

As part of FPI's community partnership program, the community receives education grant assistance, communication resources, and technical assistance to expand their recycling programs to include foodservice packaging. Kent County is the sixth community partner and first partner in Michigan. Other communities that have partnered with FPI over the last two years to expand their recycling programs to accept new materials, improve participation, and tackle contamination issues include Washington, D.C; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; Denver, Colorado; and Millennium Recycling in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In each of these communities, the outreach campaigns remind residents of what items to recycle and only clean and empty items should be included in the recycling bin/cart. As a result, FPI reports their community partners have seen quality recyclables increase and contamination decrease. 

Over the last eight years, FPI has been utilizing a system-based approach, emphasizing strong collaboration with value chain partners, such as materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and end markets, to develop effective collection systems and strong recycling and composting programs. By working to bring together communities, MRFs, and industry partners to have conversations to advance local programs, communities are developing forward-looking solutions, filling the gaps in recycling and composting materials, and moving toward meeting local, regional, or state diversion goals. 

Rather than trying to add materials nationally, FPI targets communities based on availability of markets that accept and process the targeted materials: paper and plastic cups, plates, platters, bowls, trays, bags, containers, and other foodservice packaging. 

Resources for enhancing your community's recycling or composting program are available at www.RecycleFSP.org. The website's free resources are tailored toward key stakeholders, including communities, MRFs, composters, anaerobic digestion facilities, and recycling end markets. Resources include overviews of recycling and composting studies, an interactive map of end markets, information sheets for MRFs, as well as resident outreach materials, including graphics and customizable flyers for community programs. 

With communities looking for opportunities to improve recycling and composting programs, it is helpful to know there are organizations like FPI that offer resources and support to assist in meeting local, regional, or state diversion goals.