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Eaton County recycling faces revenue headwinds as commodity prices fall; county pursuing grants and state compliance
Summary
Resource Recovery Director Jarrett told commissioners the department is self-sustaining but vulnerable to falling commodity markets; the county pursues grants for capital (trailers, trucks) and must meet new state material-management and recycling-rate goals.
Jarrett, director of resource recovery, summarized a restructuring that allowed the department to operate without ongoing general-fund support but warned commodity prices for recyclable materials have fallen and some local recycling centers are closing. "Our surcharge that funds our department... hasn't increased in over 30 years," Jarrett said, adding the department relies on grant capital for trailers and trucks and a three-year material-management grant to help implement new state solid-waste rules.
He described program priorities including expanding food-waste and composting partnerships with community groups and working with the Eaton Conservation District and Food Rescue US to divert organics from landfill. Jarrett said Sunfield Recycling Center roughly breaks even under current conditions but commodity-market pressures force conservative revenue assumptions going into next fiscal year.
