By-Product Synergy comes to Michigan

Agency: Environmental Quality

For More Information                             Chad Rogers, 517-373-2838, rogersc1@michigan.gov 

Brad Wurfel, 517-241-7395, wurfelb@michigan.gov 

The DEQ recently announced a new partnership with the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission and its Groundwater Management Board for the Greater Lansing area to pilot a By‑Product Synergy initiative for Michigan.

The initiative matches undervalued waste or by-product streams from one facility with potential users at another facility to create new revenues or cost savings as well as environmental benefits. BPS programs have been started around the country and have produced real, measurable cost savings to participating businesses and have resulted in environmental gains.

The DEQ leveraged a $60,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and matching funds from the TCRPC to bring the program to Mid-Michigan. The Michigan BPS Program will be established over the next three years. Initially it will serve businesses and local governments throughout Lower Michigan including the metropolitan areas of Lansing, Flint, Bay City, Saginaw, Jackson, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Detroit. The program will expand as the network or participating businesses grows.

The TCRPC is a voluntary organization of local governments and agencies in Eaton, Ingham, and Clinton counties, organized to foster a cooperative effort in resolving problems, policies, and plans that are common and regional with the greatest benefit to citizens of the Tri-County area while maximizing the efficient use of its resources.

For more information on this project contact the DEQ grant administrator, Chad Rogers, at 517‑373-2838 or by email at rogersc1@michigan.gov. To join the Michigan By-Product Synergy network, contact Christine Spitzley with the TCRPC at 517‑393-0342 or by email at cspitzley@mitcrpc.org.

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