NORTHWEST MICHIGAN— Grand Traverse, Benzie and Leelanau counties aim to reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfills to 50% by 2030. The target is part of a regional materials management plan required by Michigan state law to improve waste diversion and sustainability efforts.
The tri-county region generates approximately 30,000 tons of organic waste annually but currently diverts only 16% of that material from landfills. According to a report presented Thursday by consultant Fishbeck, the region must significantly increase its processing capacity to meet the state-mandated goals.
Diversion rates for organic waste vary across the three counties. Grand Traverse County currently leads the region with a 21% diversion rate, while Leelanau County diverts 13% and Benzie County diverts 2%. According to the Fishbeck report, the counties must divert approximately 15,000 tons annually to reach the 2030 target.
Meeting this goal will require the region to build a new composting facility capable of processing at least 10,000 tons of material every year, with the rest handled by a network of rural sites that house the extra capacity.
The committee is also evaluating the county’s Keystone site, which Fishbeck estimated could process up to 1,000 tons of organic material annually.
The region already has some specialized composting infrastructure in operation. Traverse City launched an in-vessel composter in September 2024 that is capable of processing 100 tons of food waste annually.
As an initial step, the planning committee is considering the installation of eight 95-gallon metroSTOR drop-off containers at existing recycling locations. These containers cost $2,424 each. If emptied weekly, each container could collect six to eight tons of food waste annually, potentially diverting a total of 48 to 64 tons across the region. The proposal is based on a successful program in Kent County.
Under potential program designs, participants who recycle their food waste at collection points could earn credits or coupons toward free compost, eliminating the need to purchase bagged compost from garden centers.
Public entities such as parks departments and municipalities could also save money by receiving free compost for landscaping and community gardens rather than purchasing commercial products.
The next committee meeting is scheduled for March. Gulow said that meeting will address recyclables goal-setting and the process for facility siting. The counties are required to include an implementation strategy in their materials management plan to show progress by the time of a state-mandated five-year review.