To start, the standard advice of reduce, reuse, recycle applies. You can do a lot more in West Michigan, especially Grand Rapids, than you can in many other parts of the state. Rapid Growth: What can individuals do to help increase the recycling rate?ĭaniel Schoonmaker: To a certain extent it depends on where you are. If all material of value was recovered and sold to the market, it would have an estimated total economic impact of up to $399 million per year, and and employment impact of up 2,619 jobs.ĭaniel Schoonmaker, director of the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, provides some insight into how, and why, individuals, the public sector and the private sector in West Michigan are actively engaging in recycling efforts. The West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum and Grand Valley State University released a study last week (which you can download here ) that characterized the economic and environmental opportunities available through recycling, composting and other waste diversion strategies.Īccording to the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, the report, titled Economic Impact Potential and Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in Michigan, estimates the total material value of municipal solid waste disposed in Michigan landfills and incinerators at as much as $368 million per year.

When it comes to recycling, West Michigan - and Grand Rapids in particular - are outshining other regions of the state, but there’s still much that needs to be done here, according to a new study.

How do you spell recycle