Michigan Materials Marketplace Updated to Improve Reuse Opportunities for Surplus Materials
NextCycle Michigan, a circular accelerator designed to advance businesses and projects that build capacity and markets for material recovery, reuse, and recycling in Michigan, launches an update of Michigan Materials Marketplace on the Rheaply platform
As posted by Rheaply on September 10, 2024.
NextCycle Michigan, with support from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), today announces the Michigan Materials Marketplace’s launch and redesign on Rheaply. Rheaply’s platform builds upon the Michigan Materials Marketplace's success since its inception in 2018 and enhances the buying, selling, and donating of surplus materials — keeping items out of landfills and in circulation to be repaired, reused, or recycled into new products. Materials Marketplace users in Michigan represent businesses and organizations at every stage of the circular economy – from collection and processing to manufacturers making new goods with recycled materials.
The Michigan Materials Marketplace creates a closed-loop, collaborative network of Michigan organizations and working professionals where one organization's waste and surplus can become another organization’s valuable resource or raw materials. "The launch of the Michigan Materials Marketplace powered by Rheaply marks a pivotal moment for NextCycle Michigan and our state's work towards environmental sustainability and economic prosperity. Through data-driven insights and facilitated connections, we're empowering businesses to maximize the value of surplus materials while driving positive environmental impact." Says Matt Flechter, EGLE’s recycling market development specialist.
Here’s how the transition to Rheaply enhances the Michigan Materials Marketplace:
Cross-industry connection: The Materials Marketplace, which includes real-time messaging and digital reuse storefronts for local businesses, forges powerful connections between material suppliers and end-markets, maximizing the economic and environmental benefits of every material. It's all about ensuring materials are used at their highest and best!
Strategic Outreach: Any Michigan organization can join the Marketplace to post raw materials and surplus and discover new market opportunities in the region. The Materials Marketplace program team will be curating demand on-platform to move items to their next best use.
Detailed insights: Rheaply’s platform can gather comprehensive data on surplus and waste materials across Michigan including location, quantity, quality, and more. This means businesses will have crystal-clear visibility of available resources.
Real-Time Impact: Organizations can track how materials flow through Michigan's circular economy in real time. From carbon savings to landfill diversion, the platform provides key metrics to showcase the tangible benefits of reusing and recycling materials.
Extending Michigan’s landfill capacity
Every material reused or recycled on the Materials Marketplace translates to fewer carbon emissions from the sourcing, energy and resources needed to produce new items, making a real difference in the fight against climate change.
Michigan is at a critical juncture with its waste management challenges, with the most recent projection of 26 years of remaining disposal capacity. The Michigan Materials Marketplace will aim to divert materials, in particular discarded materials from businesses, and extend the lifespan of existing Michigan landfill sites. Beyond the landfill diversion, the Materials Marketplace can fuel economic development initiatives in the state of Michigan including new job opportunities in sorting and refurbishing. Small businesses and nonprofits can source materials at a reduced cost, leading to increased profit margins and fostering local innovation, collaboration, and creativity.
Create your (free) Michigan Materials Marketplace account
Michigan-based businesses and nonprofits interested in redistributing items such as workplace furniture, fixtures, equipment, building materials, or hard-to-recycle materials can connect with their business neighbors via the link below. Sign up to create your free account and get full access to all the region’s available listings and unlock the ability to post your own listings of things you no longer need in the workspace.
Follow these easy steps:
Complete the sign-up form to request access
You’ll receive an email from Rheaply within 24 hours to set up your user profile
List your first item through the “Create” button
Browse for items and make an offer!
Learn more about Michigan Materials Marketplace
Maximize your sustainability knowledge and engagement during a full week of events in October. The C3 Summit, the NextCycle Michigan Fall Showcase, and the Michigan Sustainability Conference (MISCON) will be co-located at the Suburban Showplace in Novi, Michigan, October 1-4, 2024.
Businesses who work at the intersection of materials management and recycling innovation can learn more about how to get involved with the Michigan Materials Marketplace during two MISCON sessions: The Materials Marketplace and NextCycle Michigan: Advancing Michigan’s Circular Economy and Healthy Environment.
MISCON is the premier conference for industry leaders, innovators, and sustainability advocates in Michigan. Register here.