Landfills Current Conditions In Genesee County, there are two landfills in operation: Citizens Landfill in Mundy Township, owned by Republic Services, and Brent Run Landfill in Montrose Township, owned by Waste Connections. Each landfill disposes of nonhazardous solid waste (municipal solid waste (MSW), industrial special waste (ISW), and Construction and Demolition Debris (CDD)) generated in Genesee County, other Michigan Counties, Canada, and neighboring states. Genesee County’s waste stream is currently managed by the private sector, while the County enforces the rules and regulations of the Genesee County Solid Waste Ordinance as well as
Landfills
implementation of the County Solid Waste Management Plan. Nearly every jurisdiction in Genesee County has access to curbside residential garbage and recycling pickup. However, the waste hauler in each jurisdiction differs since services are based upon contracts awarded by formal agreements at the local level. There are three companies currently providing this service - Emterra Environmental USA, Republic Services, and Waste Management. Additionally, there are many other waste haulers throughout the County who provide dumpster drop-off and pick-up services to residents and private businesses.
Source: Local Units of Government 2018 Waste Hauler Contracts.
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How much waste is being disposed of in Genesee County? Since 2010, total solid waste disposed of in Genesee County landfills has been trending slightly downward with approximately 4 million cubic yards collected in 2010, and 3.5 million cubic yards collected in 2017. This could be associated with a decrease in population, importing less waste, and/or higher waste diversion rates. Note that between 2010 - 2013, some solid waste was disposed of at Richfield Landfill in Richfield Township. However, this landfill was closed in 2015.
What about the future? If Genesee County’s population and employment grows as projected, the County will see an increase of 5.8 percent in total annual waste generation from 1.28 million cubic yards in 2017 to 1.36 million cubic yards in 2045. Waste imported from outside the County is an important factor when looking at the future capacity of Genesee County landfills. In 2017, only 38 percent of the waste disposed of in Genesee County landfills originated in Genesee County while 55 percent was imported into the County. Currently, it is projected that 18 YEARS of landfill capacity (lifespan of existing landfills) remain for Genesee County Landfills.
Canada 65%
MI 34% OH 0.7%
Top Waste Importers to Genesee County by Percent in 2017 Sources: GCMPC Waste Generation Table & Annual DEQ Landfill Reports
How Does Genesee County Compare?
Source: Data from Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Report of Solid Waste Landfilled in Michigan.
2017 Waste Generation
Per Capita
MI Ranking out of 83 Counties (1 is lowest per capita waste producer)
Genesee County
4.18 pounds/day
63
Michigan
3.79 pounds/day
N/A
Ingham County
3.54 pounds/day
52
Kent County
3.24 pounds/day
48
Oakland County
3.14 pounds/day
41
Washtenaw County
2.71 pounds/day
30
Sources: DEQ Annual Landfill Report and 2017 US Census ACS Data
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How is landfill capacity being increased? A primary way to increase landfill capacity is through waste diversion. Waste diversion is the process of minimizing waste generation through source reduction, recycling, reuse or composting. Since Genesee County does not have specific waste diversion data available, Statewide and Nationwide statistics will be used. Michigan is diverting about 15 percent of materials destined for the landfill through recycling. This is significantly less than the US diversion rate at 34 percent. The infographic below describes the makeup of Michigan’s current waste stream.
Primary Concerns of Genesee County Solid Waste 1. There are only about 18 years of landfill capacity remaining in Genesee County 2. A significant amount of waste disposed of in Genesee County is imported from Canada and other Michigan Counties 3. Waste generated in Genesee County is increasing slightly Total Annual Value: $15,059,773
4. High cost for curbside residential garbage and recycling pickup services for local jurisdictions 5. Low diversion rates in Michigan cause loss of valuable recyclable material
Potential Solutions 1. Landfill capacity (lifespan of existing landfills) could be increased by: • Reducing the amount of waste that is imported • Reducing the amount of waste that is generated & Total Annual Value: disposed of in Genesee County $15,059,773 • Increasing the amount of waste exported • Creating a new cell or landfill in the County where waste could be disposed of 2. Imported waste could be reduced by: • Increasing the cost for outside sources to dispose of waste at Genesee County landfills 3. Waste generated in Genesee County could be reduced by: • Increasing the amount of waste diverted from the landfill by reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting materials Source: West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum. Characterization of MSW in Michigan. Source: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Measuring Recycling in the State of Michigan.
Not only does diverting materials improve the environment by increasing landfill capacity, diverted materials have a large economic benefit due to their value in the recycling industry. In total, Genesee County is throwing away over $15 million worth of recyclable materials annually; this is based on projections that Michigan is throwing away $350 million worth of materials annually. Note that materials value changes with the market.
Through Genesee County’s Solid Waste Ordinance, funds are received from local landfills and waste haulers who collect or dispose of waste in the County; this fee is $0.12 per cubic yard. This is important since the programs implemented through Genesee County’s Solid Waste Management Plan use this funding to help promote waste diversion. These programs include Recycle Day events where hazardous materials and electronics are collected as well as recycling outreach and education.
4. Curbside residential garbage and recycling pick-up services for local jurisdictions could be made more affordable by: • Sharing waste hauler contracts with other local municipalities to increase bargaining power for local units 5. Diversion rates in Genesee County could be increased by: • Educating the public about reducing, reusing, and recycling • Collecting data on local waste diversion metrics to use for education and outreach • Making it more convenient and easier to recycle materials • Providing more opportunities for residents to recycle hardto-dispose of waste including hazardous materials, electronics, appliances, and others
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