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Committee reviews draft targets: 25% recycling rate by 2035, 15% organics improvement proposed
Summary
Kent County's Materials Management Planning Committee reviewed draft plan goals at its June 18 meeting, including a target to raise the county recycling rate from 16% to 25% by 2035, a proposed 15% organics diversion target pending measurement validation, and discussion of multifamily access and HHW program examples; no votes were taken due to lack of quorum.
During the June 18 Kent County Materials Management Planning Committee meeting, staff and committee members reviewed draft targets for the county's materials management plan and discussed data and measurement challenges.
The committee considered a proposed increase in Kent County's recycling rate from a baseline of 16% to a target of 25% by 2035. Staff said achieving that change will require policy and infrastructure measures in addition to education and requested committee input on feasible approaches. The committee also discussed whether performance measures should be limited to county-only data, noting that some reporting systems are not county-specific.
For organics (food and yard waste), staff proposed a 15% improvement target but acknowledged measurement uncertainty. Presenters said Materials Recycling Facilities are expected to begin reporting in ways that will inform county estimates, and that the consultant Fishbeck has received a data export from ReTrac that staff must review and filter. The committee requested subject-matter expert review to validate whether 15% is an appropriate target.
Multifamily access was addressed in the context of Part 115 benchmarks: the committee noted the state benchmark of 90% access is a standard, not a Kent County goal, and that while drop-off access exists countywide, convenience for residents remains a barrier. Staff reported a pilot food-waste program with about 250 participants, including 98 who use daily services, as evidence of some resident uptake.
Committee members also discussed Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) disposal and outreach. Chair Kari Bliss referenced Ottawa and Kalamazoo County examples—Kalamazoo's program was noted for strong signage and outreach—and asked whether HHW should be called out as a separate goal. Members asked staff to circulate examples from Ottawa County and to consider whether a separate HHW goal is warranted.
Because a quorum was not present, the discussion did not produce formal votes or adopted targets; committee members asked staff to obtain additional data and expert input and to return with refined goal language and proposed accountability measures.
