LANSING, Mich — Michiganders recycled nearly 700,000 tons of materials in 2023, a new record rate for the state according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
This puts the state's recycling rate at 23%, up from 21% last year and 14.25% from before 2019. The state saw a huge increase this year with 82,000 tons of material recycled than last year.
“Recycling is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos.
In 2023 according to EGLE, Michiganders recycled more than:
- 330,000 tons of paper and paper products
- 237,000 tons of metals
- 67,000 tons of glass
- 58,000 tons of plastic and plastic products
Breaking that down to per person recycling, each Michigander essentially recycled 140 pounds of materials over the last 12 months.
“Recycling properly saves Michigan taxpayers money by increasing the value of recycled materials, supporting Michigan jobs and improving the health of the environment,” Roos said. “We know Michiganders want to recycle the right way, and through our ‘Know It Before You Throw It’ campaign and recycling infrastructure investments, we are providing them with the tools to do just that.”
EGLE now estimates that Michigan is on pace to hit its goal of a 30% recycling rate by 2029.
However, Michigan's continued increases in recycling rates over the last several years is the inverse of the state's bottle and can recycling rates.
Michigan, once a leader in redemption rates for bottles and cans, has seen a drop from around a 90% return rate to 73% return rate in 2023, according to 2023 State of Michigan Treasury data.
The state has launched a new campaign called "Take 'em Back" that aims to increase the bottle and can recycling and redemption rates.
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