Michigan to make mandatory for MRFs to report recycling tonnages

By Paul Ploumis (ScrapMonster Author)

February 17, 2016 07:37:42 AM

DETROIT (Scrap Monster): New legislation in Michigan will make it mandatory for Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to report their tonnages of recyclable materials. The Senate Bill 507 requires all Michigan MRFs to register with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in order to report the tonnages of recyclable materials including glass, paper, plastic, ferrous metal, nonferrous metal, textiles etc.

Under the provisions of the bill, a recycling establishment shall report to the DEQ the amount of each category of reportable recyclable material received by and the amount shipped from the recycling establishment. The quantities may be determined using a volume-to weight conversion formula provided by the Department. For each state fiscal year, the recycling establishment shall submit either an annual report or four quarterly reports as it wish.

The new legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Mike Green, is aimed at improving the recycling rates in Michigan, which currently stands very less when compared with the national average. According to DEQ estimates, the state’s recycling rate stands at 15%, even less than half the national average. Also, Michigan recycling rates are comparatively lesser when compared with neighboring states.

Senate Bill 507 proposes more comprehensive data tracking mechanisms to keep track of the amount and types of materials diverted from landfill. It exempts recycling establishments from reporting data on products that contain iron, steel or nonferrous metals, scrap vehicle parts, beneficial use by-product or covered electronic device. The bill, passed by the Senate on December 10th, 2015 is now before the Natural Resources Committee.