The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission is seeking volunteers for some work groups being set up to help establish waste management policies for Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties.
Associate planner Bekah Schrag tells us the goal is to plan for more recycling in the region.
“The state is requiring the counties to redo and revamp their solid waste plans, and those are becoming materials management plans,” Schrag said. “So there’s a focus more on recycling and organics management beyond just landfilling.”
To that end, the Southwest Michigan Materials Management Planning Committee has been formed to meet the new state rules. Schrag says the committee is forming work groups to focus on different aspects of waste management. That’s what they need people for.
“These groups will serve a couple of different purposes, but there’s going to be county working groups and people from each county could participate in that and help guide goals and objectives specifically for that county relating to materials management.”
Others focus on policy and education. Schrag says anyone interested in public policy would be a good candidate for the work groups. They’ll be holding monthly meetings, most likely over Zoom, for about the next year.
The deadline to apply is Monday, and you can do so right here.
