The Intergovernmental Initiatives & Public-Private Partnership (I2P3) Accelerator Track supports projects that focus on collaborative waste-reduction, reuse, recycling, composting and anaerobic digestion in Michigan.

• Bay City, Michigan – The local city government seeks to improve organics management and reduce food waste by determining the need and feasibility for a public-private partnership composting operation. This project will divert materials from landfills, create jobs, and provide greater access to food scrap diversion programs including to economically disadvantaged residents.

• Grand Rapids, MI – This collaborative team made up of the local city government and WeCare Denali, seeks to develop a food scrap drop-off pilot program utilizing community gardens and farmer’s markets as collection sites and processing the material into finished compost. This project will divert materials from landfills, improve soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create jobs.

• Holland, MI – The local city government along with Padnos, Ottawa County, Holland Board of Public Works, and Hope College seek to pivot a previous drop-off program focused on landfilling materials, into a drop-off program emphasizing recycling and material recovery. This project will divert materials from landfills, increase access to recycling, create a recovery pathway for hard-to-recycle items, and create jobs.

• Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority (Brighton, MI) – This collaborative team, led by the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMA), seeks to expand its existing composting operation at the Kensington Metropark Farm Center and establish best practices for operating and managing the program to create quality compost and become a model to scale to other locations in the Metroparks district. This project will divert materials from landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Iosco County, Michigan – The county government of Iosco, along with Oscoda Area Schools, Develop Iosco, and several communities within the county, are collaborating to implement three recycling drop-off locations enabling residents to recycle paper, cardboard, plastic containers, and glass. This project will divert materials from landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and expand recycling access to rural and underserved communities.

• Pontiac, Michigan – The local city government of Pontiac and regional neighboring communities seek to develop a regional recycling drop-off center allowing residents and businesses of Northern Oakland County to recycle traditional materials (e.g., paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, and steel/aluminum) as well as more challenging materials like appliances, mattresses, polystyrene foam, and textiles. This project will divert materials from landfills, reduce litter/pollution, expand access to recycling for historically underserved communities, and create jobs.

• Rogers City, Michigan – The local city government in collaboration with Presque Isle County, seeks to identify ways to improve upon recycling at the drop-off center, including the possibility of partnering with neighboring Alpena County and its new regional recycling facility. This project will divert materials from landfills, reduce litter/pollution, and offer services that can attract new visitors and residents.

• Royal Oak, Michigan – The local city government along with several non-profit and private organizations, conducted a three-month pilot program that provided a residential food waste drop-off and residential and business education opportunities on food waste reduction, donation, and composting. The data from the pilot will help re-envision sustainable materials management and inform options for additional comprehensive food waste reduction and recycling solutions. This project will divert materials from landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create jobs.

The Recycling Supply Chain (RSC) Accelerator Track supports projects that fill gaps in collection, processing or end markets for reusable and recyclable materials in Michigan.

• Hendricks Foundation (Harper Woods, Michigan) – The nonprofit foundation is seeking to expand its e-waste upcycling program and computer repair and programming classes to more students in Wayne County. This project will divert materials from landfills, create jobs, and improve equitable access to technology and workplace development.

• Let Us REST (Benton Harbor, Michigan) – Let Us REST (Respect Each Other and Stand Together) is a non-profit organization seeking to run a pilot program to prove the effectiveness of a mobile recycling unit that offers a convenient drop-off point for recyclables. This project will divert materials from landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase access to recycling including access in underserved communities.

• Novak Applied Technologies (Midland, Michigan) – This for-profit business is seeking to create an additional collection point and further develop end-market use for recycled glass. This project will divert materials from landfills, create jobs, and increase recycling access for central and northern areas in Michigan’s lower peninsula.

• OkaTerra (Grand Rapids, Michigan) – This for-profit start-up seeks to expand its regenerative-material furniture brand to Michigan, utilizing locally sourced waste materials and engaging underserved communities for employment opportunities. This project will divert materials from landfills, create jobs, and support Michigan’s small regenerative farms.

• Recycle Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, Michigan) – This non-profit organization seeks to model Michigan’s first stand-alone (non-retail) container redemption center for deposit-eligible bottles and cans, and a refillable bottle system to support local dairies and microbreweries. This project will divert materials from landfills, create jobs, and once replicated, increase access to recycling – including access for underserved communities.

• Resourceful Recycling (Chesaning, Michigan) – This for-profit business is seeking to open a free, 24/7 public drop-off center improving recycling access to rural residents and businesses in mid-Michigan. This project will divert materials from landfills, create jobs, and increase recycling access and awareness.

• Veolectra Inc. (Farmington Hills, Michigan) – This for-profit product development company seeks to create a demonstration system for repurposed electric vehicle battery packs and cells that generate power for portable power stations. This project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the need for mining natural resources, and create jobs.