The Shiawassee Recycling Workgroup – Coming Together to Build a Healthy, Sustainable Community

Since January of 2025, representatives from city, county, and state governments and nonprofits have met monthly to share ideas and coordinate efforts to start recycling initiatives, create jobs, secure public and private investments, and comply with state laws to keep valuable materials out of landfills. The Cook Family Foundation has provided support for this strategic networking from its inception. 

WHY NOW?
Recycling is not a new topic of discussion. What IS new is the update to Michigan’s old solid waste law, passed to create a different kind of system where landfills are not necessarily the ultimate destination for all of what might be considered “waste”.

This update, known as Part 115, requires counties to create a plan that aims to find more productive ways of managing discarded materials. The goals of this effort are to protect the environment/public health and ensure that materials (recyclables, organic materials, and solid waste) are sustainably managed to achieve benefits to the economy, communities, and the environment. 

So, with a tip of our hats to Mr. Rogers, the Shiawassee County workgroup’s efforts are running in tandem with a new County Materials Management Committee to develop plans focusing on waste as a starting point rather than a final destination. 

WE HEARD YOU

In February – April of this year, Dr. Kari Krantz held Community Engagement sessions throughout the county to learn what residents in our area think about recycling. It was apparent that participants were very supportive of recycling and wanted to know more about how they can participate. Dr. Krantz also took this opportunity to educate attendees about Part 115 and how it will affect us. Read the Full Report from the Recycling Listening Sessions.

WHAT HAS THE WORKGROUP ACCOMPLISHED SINCE JANUARY?

  • Great Lakes Fusion received a major state grant for an exciting new compost facility that will serve our region. They will be collaborating with Resourceful Recycling to transport the organics with partners at Memorial Healthcare, Owosso/Corunna Public Schools, and many others.
  • Encouraged sub-group action to develop goals and realistic actions:
    • Great Lakes Fusion received a major state grant for an exciting new compost program in partnership with Resourceful Recycling at Memorial Healthcare, Owosso/Corunna Public Schools, and others.
    • Three Cook Family Foundation recycling-related grants totalling $58,150, were awarded to the City of Owosso, the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Shiawassee Health and Wellness.
    • Student-led e-cycling events were conducted with on-going student recycling engagement activities going on throughout area schools.

      Electronics collected at the Owosso High School e-cycling collection event

    • Shiawassee Regional Chamber  of Commerce and Resourceful Recycling presented at a statewide NextCycle event with an idea in the making and won a participation and “People’s Choice” grant award.
    • Waste site assessments are now provided at no cost to Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce and Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership member businesses.
  • Sparked discussions to create educational initiatives for community outreach/student curriculum

 

 


Recycling County-Wide Community Workgroup Sessions Continue

Community leaders are coming together to investigate the opportunities and challenges of recycling. 

Key stakeholders in the effort, representing local governments, business groups, and community nonprofits, are working together to identify opportunities, build a sustainable economy, create jobs, reduce environmental impacts, and improve the quality of life for all residents. The Cook Family Foundation is providing logistical support for the collaborative effort.  

“We already have a number of strong recycling assets in our community,” said Tom Cook, Executive Director of the Cook Family Foundation. “They include the DJ Root Recycling Center and the Greater Laingsburg Recyclers. Businesses like Great Lakes Fusion are discovering the economic opportunities in sustainable practices.”

A new State law (Part 115 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act) requires Shiawassee County to submit a comprehensive plan that demonstrates new mechanisms to reduce existing materials waste presently going to landfills. Plans must include a description of how communities are engaged in the planning process. Development of the plan is the responsibility of the Shiawassee County Materials Waste Management Committee.                   

Twenty-two individuals, representing 16 organizations, have joined in this collaborative effort by signing a Charter (see below) outlining the mission, vision and goals they have to promote the economic, environmental, and community benefits of recycling. The Shiawassee Community Recycling Workgroup is not a governmental entity and lacks any authority to make changes in public or private practices.  Rather, the group exists to provide a central clearinghouse for information, to gain input from the public, and to help participant organizations achieve their own goals.

Those organizations adopting the Charter include:

  • City of Corunna
  • City of Owosso
  • Cook Family Foundation
  • Fleis & Vandenbrink
  • Greater Laingsburg Recycling
  • Michigan Recycling Coalition
  • Resourceful Recycling
  • Shiawassee Community Foundation
  • Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners
  • Shiawassee County Health Department
  • Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership
  • Shiawassee Health and Wellness/DJ Root Recycling
  • Shiawassee Materials Management Committee
  • Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Shiawassee Regional Education Service District
  • The Arc Mid-Michigan


For general information about this county-wide effort, please contact Lorraine Austin at the Cook Family Foundation at (989) 277-7337.

CHARTER – Shiawassee Recycling Community Workgroup

The Shiawassee Recycling Community Workgroup has come together to achieve the following: 

Vision: The Owosso and Shiawassee region will have a robust recycling program that builds a stronger, sustainable local economy.

Mission: Through collaboration, we will work together to identify opportunities to build a sustainable economy, create jobs, reduce environmental impacts, and improve the quality of life for all residents.

Goals: Collaborate, Participate, Build

1. COLLABORATE in the Exchange of Information and Ideas

a. Work with private sector intermediaries (e.g. Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership and Shiawassee Chamber of Commerce) to identify opportunities for new local businesses, economic development, and increased employment, especially for those who face challenges entering the workforce

b. Bring together public and private stakeholders with an active interest in waste reduction, recycling, and resource recovery to learn from one another and find areas for collaboration

c. Inform and educate the public on waste reduction and recycling issues and opportunities and make available reports and information gathered by the Task Force

2.  PARTICIPATE and Host Community Listening Sessions

a. Assist local governments to meet state and federal materials management requirements

b. Make waste

reduction and recycling a starting point of local efforts to build a sustainable, resilient community

c. Help build public awareness for the many benefits of waste reduction and recycling and support public engagement activities on this topic

d. Include youth in the planning process to ensure future generations will benefit from present day investments. Offer leadership opportunities and seek their insights.

3.  BUILD a Local Recycling Economy

a. Help assemble competitive grant applications for state/federal funds made available for waste reduction, recycling, climate resiliency, and sustainable business; identify local matching grants where applicable.

b. Leverage existing community assets, both private and public, that support waste reduction, recycling and sustainability efforts.

c. Help build and support a robust local economic waste reduction and recycling ecosystem to generate resource materials and create new products and markets.

d. Create local jobs (especially for the underemployed and others having difficulty entering the job market) and identify job training and career/technical education opportunities.