The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission is inviting everyone to have their say as it develops a new Regional Materials Management Plan for Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties.
Commission associate planner Bekah Schrag tells us the state requires counties to have these plans for diverting materials away from landfills and toward recycling.
“The goal is to divert different materials from the landfill,” Schrag said. “So that includes recyclables, yard waste, food scraps, and then just other diversion methods. And so we’re in the process of creating a plan to help with that process.”
The plan being developed now will serve as a roadmap for how the three counties reduce, reuse, recycle, compost, and responsibly manage various materials in the years ahead.
Schrag says the public is asked to fill out a survey online now. What kinds of questions does it ask?
“The state has some mandated access goals, like which communities need to have access to curbside recycling or how many drop offs need to be within the county. So some of that is already going to be in the plan, but then there’s additional goals that the county can set.”
Schrag says once a draft plan is complete, there will also be a public comment period.
Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties have adopted a regional approach to waste management to improve efficiency, share resources, and build stronger programs. Each has members on a committee that meets monthly to talk waste management.
