Materials Management

Michigan has shifted their focus from Solid Waste Management to Materials Management.

This approach includes managing solid waste (trash), recycling (metals, plastics, glass) and organics (food scraps, leaves, wood waste). Planning for inclusive and convenient local and regional materials management systems can recover value from unwanted materials and mitigate impacts on natural resources and the environment.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) regulates materials management throughout Michigan including recycling programs and proper hazardous waste disposal. EGLE’s work helps create effective community materials management programs that strive to divert waste from the landfill and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 according to the MI Healthy Climate Plan.

EGLE’s materials management programs include pollution prevention, recycling, composting, proper household hazardous waste disposal, e-waste collection, drug disposal, and solid waste, among many others. In collaboration, these programs strive to divert waste at its highest value, according to EGLE’s Sustainable Materials Management Hierarchy.

Recent changes to Michigan’s materials management regulations now require counties to submit Materials Management Plans, rather than the previous Solid Waste Management Plans, introducing a more lifecycle-oriented approach to materials management. This will help place greater emphasis on waste diversion strategies such as reuse and recycling including paper, metal, plastic, glass, and organics. All counties in the Western Upper Peninsula region have entered into an interlocal agreement to create the Western UP Materials Management Planning Committee (WUP-MMPC). Their work will result in a Multi-county Materials Management Plan. This Plan is required to be completed and approved by EGLE prior to June 27, 2027.

Interlocal agreements, meeting minutes, and other committee documents can be viewed on our Materials Management Planning Committee Resources Webpage:

To learn more about statewide efforts visit EGLE’s Materials Management Division website.

Materials Management Resources Per County

Other Resources:

Copper Country Recycling Initiative - Website

Drug Take Back Center Locations - Website

EGLE Sustainable Materials Management Hierarchy - Diagram by EGLE

Our recent materials management work

The Western UP Planning and Development Region works to support our communities by facilitating the implementation of materials management programs with the region’s priorities at the forefront. Current projects include:

  • Facilitation of organizing the local units of government in our work area to create new Materials Management Plans

  • Development of a regional composting project for Houghton County

Maps include: Trash, Recycling, and Brush Pile Locations, and Waste Hauling Service Provider Service Areas