Schupan weighs in on recycling in Michigan

Tom Emmerich, the chief operating officer of Kalamazoo, Michigan-based Schupan and president of its Schupan Recycling business unit, says policymakers in his home state have room to make changes that can increase its recycling volume and rate.

In the interview with Russ White of East Lansing, Michigan-based National Public Radio affiliate WKAR, Schupan was asked several questions about the health of recycling in Michigan.

Emmerich tells the radio station Schupan has its roots in industrial scrap metal recycling and now has five business units, with Schupan Recycling focusing on beverage container recycling in a state that has a deposit-return system, or bottle bill. Emmerich describes that business unit by saying, “We handle a large percentage of all the containers in the state of Michigan.”

When asked about municipal or curbside recycling in Michigan, Emmerich says, “Do we lag other states? We absolutely do. We have like an 18 percent municipal and recycling rate. That’s up a couple percentage points, but it still lags behind the Minnesotas and Wisconsins and a couple other Midwestern states.”

In terms of beverage container recycling, he adds, “We have relied on the deposit law as our marquee recycling program in Michigan, and it’s been incredibly successful. There’s no reason to look at changing that.”

Recycling in Michigan overall, however, could benefit from a funding boost or policy changes, Emmerich says. “It really comes down to funding,” he said of boosting the 18 percent recycling rate. “How much money is the state willing to put back? And mandates. Michigan has really no mandates on banning certain things from landfills. Other states do. The states that do have much higher recycling rates.”

On the policy front, Emmerich says, “I testified for two different bills, House Bill 4443 and House Bill 4444. Those bills were pretty much introduced by the beverage community where they are looking for a half-cent per container income tax credit that would help them invest back into the deposit system. Distributors are responsible for the program. A lot of people don’t understand that. Since day one, they initiate the deposit. They’re required to pick the containers up at retail and properly recycle them.”

Noting that Schupan Recycling is “hired” to “help them with that process,” Emmerich adds, “As costs have gone up over the years and money was taken away from distributors back in the early to mid-90s. They haven’t asked for a penny from the state to help them with infrastructure costs. Our costs are up well over 25 percent in the last five or six years.”

In the case of Schupan, Emmerich says the company needs to make “a significant investment in our Wixom [Michigan] operation that we built 16 years ago. If we don’t, then the cost of maintenance is just going to go up and our ability to service retailers and the consumer is going to go down, and nobody’s going to be happy with that.”

A transcript of the interview between White and Emmerich can be found here.