Overview

Our eight Great Lakes Circular Materials Roundtable was hosted in July 2021 and focused on increasing the reuse and recyclability of common building materials. Here's a quick recap, and some key takeaways and observations from our team:

Presentations were provided by these speakers:

• Jan Culbertson, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, GGA & Senior Partner at A3C Architecture 

• George H. Berghorn, LEED AP BD+C, CGP & Assistant Professor in Construction Management at Michigan State University

• Kathy Powles, Falcon Green Resources

• Keira Higgins, NextCycle MI

Key Takeaways

• The prices paid for goods used in residential construction have increased 16.5% over the past 12 months. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

• Every year, more lumber is put into landfills than American forests can generate creating a huge opportunity for normalizing deconstruction over demolition and expanding the use of salvaged lumber in building projects.

• Beyond expanding secondary markets, reusability, and recyclability of building materials to achieve circularity, the industry requires:

  • Product and material innovation for sustainable building materials not related to reuse or recycled content (like hempcrete)

  • More efficient design and project management practices that reduce waste and material input (like prefab construction)

  • Government incentives that drive builders to look at reused materials

• Despite demonstrated reusability and recyclability of many materials, end-markets and secondary markets for many building materials remain immature:

  • Salvaged lumber, which is often stronger than virgin lumber, requires many man hours during deconstruction and de-nailing. 

    • As deconstruction methods improve and the decarbonization value of reused materials is recognized, salvaged lumber will become more cost-competitive with virgin lumber.

    • Cities4Forests developed Sustainable Wood for Cities: A guide for city projects and policies on sourcing wood to benefit climate, environment, and society and is whelping municipalities specify and promote sustainable wood choices

  • PVC and vinyl, whose chemical structures pose risks for contamination and require extra steps before mechanical recycling

    • Products made with alternative materials are beginning to replace these materials.

    • A vinyl recycler directory is available online.

• More sustainable concrete options are under development and could use nearly 40% less cement by replacing it with other cementitious materials or pozzolans like ground post-consumer glass and foundry sand.

  • In the long-run, these new concrete mixes can be cost-neutral, but require different methods for casting and setting.

• In many cases, building codes act as barriers for the adoption of salvaged, reused, and recycled building materials. As the durability and efficacy of the products are demonstrated, the design community can work with rule-makers to revise prohibitive codes.

• Asphalt roofing shingles can be recycled into materials used for road creation and dust suppression in construction projects.

  • These materials have the capacity to utilize other recycled materials like crushed concrete and limestone, shredded tires, and foundry sand.

  • Falcon Green Resources currently operates a recycling facility that creates its own products from asphalt shingles and other inputs from local recycling streams.

  • A directory of shingle recyclers is available online.

• NextCycle MI is an accelerator program designed to support project initiatives for equitable climate solutions.

  • The program offers several innovation challenges relevant to building materials:

    • The Recycling Innovation & Technology (RIT) - “novel material recovery or sorting technologies, recycled content products, waste minimization techniques, new uses for recycled or organic materials, or other innovations in sustainable materials management”

    • Recycling Supply Chains (RSC) - “projects that improve or expand the collection, processing, or end markets for recyclable materials in Michigan—especially plastics, textiles, glass, fibers, and C&D debris.”

    • Roads and Pathways  (ROADS) - “projects that increase the use of recycled content in road construction, solving two problems at once”

  • Organizations outside of Michigan are eligible to apply if partnered with a Michigan-based business or organization.

• Companies are becoming more aware of the total carbon footprint of their activities including the lifecycle of the materials they are using. The US Business Council for Sustainable Development is working with the science and business communities to explore material life cycle assessment tools that could help companies with their Scope 3 carbon accounting.

Action Items

The Materials Marketplace team is working directly with individuals who have opportunities to divert high volumes of building materials from landfill, and additional action items include:

• Organizations interested in identifying Michigan-based partners or learning more about funding opportunities, contact the NextCycle MI team.

• If you have a solution or end-market for materials that still remain difficult to recycle like PVC and vinyl, let our team know!

• For material recyclers and manufacturers seeking to increase the recycled content of their products or source material inputs, post a wanted listing on the Materials Marketplace.

• For material generators seeking end-markets near them, post an available listing on the Materials Marketplace.

• If you’d like to learn more about the US BCSD’s initiatives related to material life cycle assessments and carbon accounting, let them know.

• Explore opportunities to boost related businesses through NextCycle MI

• Continue networking and learning about opportunities in the Great Lakes for your business by attending upcoming networking events. Register for upcoming events here.

• Identify more opportunities for material reuse within your organization and across facilities by inviting your colleagues to join the Materials Marketplace and encouraging them to list their available and wanted materials.

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Presentation Downloads

Overview

Our seventh Great Lakes Circular Materials Roundtable was hosted in May 2021 and focused on direct material reuse. Here's a quick recap, and some key takeaways and observations from our team:

Presentations were provided by these speakers:

• Jim Cosby, President and Owner of Epaint on creating a business model from direct material reuse

• Paul Thoms, General Manager Midwest Fuel Injection on implementing material reuse as business practice

Key Takeaways

• Recycling and reuse are foundational for a circular economy and have distinct differences, applications and challenges.

  • Recycling is a series of activities by which material that has reached the end of its current use is processed into material utilized in the production of new products.

  • Reuse is extending the life of an item by using it more than once, for the same or a new function. By taking a useful product and exchanging it without reprocessing, reuse retains the embedded energy and natural resources used in the product’s manufacturing process.

• Many have built successful business models based on the direct reuse of recurring materials, especially where a technical proficiency in the material already exists.

  • These businesses often operate on tight cost margins and may have challenges identifying cost-effective processes that do not compromise the ultimate marketability of their products.

  • Material resellers are usually able to penetrate markets quickly with competitively low retail prices and have secured their standing against original manufacturers by creating partnerships with other brands or becoming certified dealers.

• Many business processes can effectively incorporate direct material reuse for a wide range of items from packaging and containers to mechanical parts and components.

  • Material remanufacturing/refurbishing/repair and reuse is especially effective for items that are complexly engineered and expensive to replace.

• Misinformed and negative attitudes towards the durability and soundness of a reused item may affect the marketability of reused materials; however, product certifications (like from Manufactured Again) allow buyers and users to confidently incorporate reused materials into their processes.

• Many in the public and private sector would still like to see more aggressive policy tools to drive reuse in manufacturing.

Action Items

The Materials Marketplace team is working directly with individuals who have opportunities to divert high volumes of reusable materials from landfill, and additional action items include:

• Explore opportunities to boost reuse-related businesses with an EGLE market development grant:

  • FY 2021 Rural Electronics Collection and Infrastructure Recycling Grants

  • 2021 Recycling Grant Program

• Continue networking and learning about opportunities in the Great Lakes material reuse space by attending upcoming networking events. Register for upcoming events here.

• Identify more opportunities for material reuse within your organization and across facilities by inviting your colleagues to join the Materials Marketplace and encouraging them to list their available and wanted materials.

Register to attend an upcoming Networking Hour to keep exploring opportunities for material reuse in your business.

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Presentation Downloads

Overview

Our sixth Great Lakes Circular Materials Roundtable was hosted in March 2021 and focused on end-markets for e-waste. Here's a quick recap, and some key takeaways and observations from our team:

Presentations were provided by these speakers:

• Scott VanderKooy, President of Comprenew, speaking on electronics refurbishment and recycling

• Don Haynes, Environmental Manager at Florim, USA, speaking on ceramic tile manufacturing and end-markets for CRT glass

• Sam Padnos, Commodity Trader and Kari Bliss, Customer Experience & Sustainability Leader at PADNOS, speaking on end-markets for non-ferrous metals and plastic housing

Key Takeaways

• Of the several materials found in modern electronics, many of them are recyclable

  • CRT and other glass materials found in electronics are a challenging material with some promising end-markets and industrial applications.

    • The lead content of CRT glass has been a challenge in the past, but recyclers can separate the low-lead panel glass from the funnel glass. The panel glass can then be used by manufacturers like Florim USA in combination with non-lead-containing materials to produce safe durable goods like ceramic tiles.

    • Funnel glass still lacks strong end-markets domestically but is used in roads and pavement abroad.

    • Most projections show CRT glass availability will remain high for at least the next 5 years.

    • For other sources of e-waste derived glass, advances in separating laminates from LCD glass could increase its applicability, and solar panel glass is an emerging supply with still unknown applications.

  • Plastic of varying densities and grades are used for housing and cases, all with their own challenges.

    • Residential electronic waste has a higher plastic content since it includes smaller, hand-held, and miscellaneous devices.

    • Due to its abundance and complicated export market, certification bodies are currently focusing on this material.

  • Non-ferrous and precious metals are often the highest value material that makes separation economical, but those materials are being used less and less as technology advances.

• Through plant modernization and improved separation technology, electronic waste recyclers are now able to accept more varieties of devices, like PADNOS who processes 62 grades of electronics.

  • Electromagnetic, electromechanical, and x-ray technologies are used for metal sorting .

  • Density separation, compounding, extrusion, pelletizing, fillers, compatibilizers and blending are used to meet end-market customer needs for recycled plastics.

• Recyclers would like to work with electronic manufacturers on the design of electronic products to ensure more effective recycling at end-of-life.

  • Challenges include permanent battery housing, fire retardants, and the rapid pace of new device development.

  • Many industry groups are creating forums to address this like the Michigan Product Stewardship Initiative.

• Repair, refurbishment and reselling of electronics is critical to true material circularity and digital equity and inclusion. The end-markets for these refurbished goods and services need equal or greater attention as end-markets for e-waste commodity materials.

Action Items

The Materials Marketplace team is working directly with individuals who have opportunities to divert high volumes of electronic derived materials from landfill, and additional action items include:

• E-waste recyclers, processors, and end-market providers for electronics should created wanted listings to connect with material suppliers.

• E-waste generators and collectors should create available listings to connect with material recipients.

• Those interested in using glass materials for road construction should check out the NextCycle MI Roads & Pathways Innovation Challenge.

• Continue networking and learning about opportunities in the Great Lakes e-waste value chain by attending upcoming networking events. Register for upcoming events here.

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Presentation Downloads

Overview

Our fifth Great Lakes Circular Materials Roundtable was hosted in January 2021 and focused on glass. Here's a quick recap, and some key takeaways and observations from our team:

Presentations were provided by these speakers:

• Scott DeFife, Glass Packaging Institute

• Laura Hennemann, Strategic Materials

• Lindsey Walker, Emmet County Recycling

• Kate Martini, Bell’s Brewery

Key Takeaways

• Since glass is one of the heaviest commodities, value chain economics depends heavily on facility proximity and transportation costs.  Solutions proposed by presenters include:

  • high-generating facilities can partner with processors offering on-site solutions

  • designing a hub-and-spoke model for MRFs within a region

  • piloting mobile collection and processing concepts for event sites and locations incapable of hosting permanent solutions

• Recycling glass is less energy intensive than producing from virgin materials and has little to effect on structural integrity. Therefore, many strong end-markets exist for post-consumer and post-industrial glass, and the low production costs of recycled glass products is driving market penetration independent of customer demand and corporate social responsibility. 

• Challenges still exist in post-consumer collection and contamination control at MRFs, preventing glass recycling rates from reaching highest potential in some regions.

• High-value markets for recycled glass content include containers, fiberglass insulation and durable construction materials like carpet, tiles and concrete.

• Although lower in market value, beneficial reuse cases for glass like landcover and road aggregates can become reliable outlets for high volumes of post-consumer and post-industrial glass when material expectations are understood and met.

  • NextCycle MI offers developmental support and resources to businesses in this value chain through its Roads & Pathways innovation challenge track.

• EGLE has awarded recycling market development grants in Michigan that have led investment in collection infrastructure and material processing to better meet end-market specifications. Similar efforts are being applied to developing specific end-markets like roads and aggregates. 

Action Items

The Materials Marketplace team is working directly with individuals who have opportunities to divert high volumes of glass from landfill, and additional action items include:

• For businesses involved in the glass value chain seeking funding opportunities and/or developmental support, explore the innovation challenges hosted by NextCycle MI.

• For glass material processors, create wanted listings with your facility locations and detailed spec requirements.

• For glass material generators, create available listings on the Materials Marketplace with generation site locations and supply details.

• Start conversations with Materials Marketplace users with whom you could match supplies to solutions or with whom you can collaborate to overcome barriers related to volume, frequency, and location.

• Connect with potential partners in your area and request introductions from the Materials Marketplace program team.

• Continue networking and learning about opportunities in the Great Lakes glass value chain by attending upcoming networking events. Register for upcoming events here.

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Presentation Downloads

Overview

Our fourth Great Lakes Circular Materials Roundtable was hosted in late October 2020 and focused on post-industrial organics. Here's a quick recap, and some key takeaways and observations from our team:

Presentations were provided by these speakers:

• Erik Petrovskis, Meijer

• Todd Wilson, Perfect Circle Recycling

• Mike Nicholson, Denali Water Solutions

• Cliff Walkington, My Green Michigan & Hammond Farms

• Roger Cargill, Schupan

• Chad Antle, BioWorks Energy

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Key Takeaways

• More than 30% of materials sent to landfill in Michigan is organics. Decomposition of organic material generates quite a bit of harmful greenhouse gasses, and improving the management of post-industrial organics waste is a high environmental impact opportunity. Even greater opportunity exists now in matching generators of all scales to local solutions.

• Landfill pricing, changing consumer preferences, and corporate and community-level goal setting are driving growth in waste reduction, diversion, and reuse. Regional progress in the private sector has been accelerated by the public sector and is being supported through programs like NextCycle Michigan.

• Generators of organic waste have successfully diverted materials by employing a suite of solutions like onsite and offsite composting, anaerobic digestion, and other solutions. Technological improvements and market innovation is making onsite processing through digestion and composting more accessible for remote and lower volume generators.

• Some high volume organic material supplies have unique chemical profiles unsuitable for traditional digestion like acidic liquids and some bioplastics, creating a regional gap in solution-providers and an industry-wide need for further processing innovation.

• Processors of organic materials have several concurrent material streams like packaging, wastewater and filter cake. Many have successfully integrated processes to address these materials economically and at scale. Some challenges still remain around specific materials which further industry collaboration could address.

• Processors typically enter contracts with businesses generating high-energy organic materials that are high-volume, low-contamination, and high-consistency, but are beginning to implement “milk runs” to improve collection for smaller volume generators. Likewise, small-volume generators within a region should collaborate directly to better understand how to handle and market their materials to processors.

Action Items

Solutions proposed during breakout sessions included ways the Materials Marketplace can help businesses and organizations:

• For organic material processors, create wanted listings with your facility locations and detailed spec requirements.

• For organic material generators, create available listings on the Materials Marketplace with generation site locations and supply details.

• Start conversations with Materials Marketplace users with whom you could match supplies to solutions or with whom you can collaborate to overcome barriers related to volume, frequency, and location.

• Keep solution-providers connected to collaborate on concurrent material streams and their challenges.

• Continue networking and learning about organic materials solutions by attending the upcoming Networking Hour: Post-Industrial Organics on Friday, Oct. 30 from 11am -12pm ET via Zoom.

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Presentation Download

Overview

Our third Great Lakes Circular Materials Roundtable was hosted in early September 2020 and focused on textiles. Here's a quick recap, and some key takeaways and observations from our team:

Presentations were provided by these speakers:

• Janay Brower, Founder/President at Public Thread

• Nick Carlson, Vice President of Donated Goods Operations at Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids

• Marisa Adler, Senior Consultant at Resource Recycling Systems

• Kari Bliss, Customer Experience & Sustainability at PADNOS

• Madeline Miller, CEO & Founder at NexTiles

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Key Takeaways

• Textile waste is growing at an alarmingly fast pace compared to all other waste streams. This volume cannot be sustained by current systems for recovery, redistribution and reprocessing. Additionally, textiles remain an environmental hazard as they can easily escape from collection processes and landfills and contribute to harmful landfill off-gassing.

• Technological advances like AI, machine learning and RFID tracking could allow MRFs to better handle textile streams, but material innovation and end-market development will be crucial.

• Technology has already enabled businesses and organizations like Goodwill Industries to expand online selling of valuable textile items, but resellers remain limited by the labor costs and social elements of growing operations. Additionally, materials without a secondary market like soiled upholstery and mattresses are increasing in volume with little growth in end-market solutions.

• Material processors like PADNOS have been systematically receiving materials that meet volume, density and sanitation standards. However, diverse material streams that include fixed plastic components or rubber composition materials continue to pose challenges.

• Material up-cyclers like Public Thread are demonstrating profitable business cases for products made from textile production scraps. Innovative partnerships directly with manufacturers producing scrap materials are expanding market opportunities and driving value through the supply chain.

• Innovators are demonstrating new applications for materials processed from textile waste like NexTiles who creates blown-in insulation from natural fiber materials. Scientist and innovators continue to search for applications for synthetic textiles and those with complex material compositions.

Action Items

Solutions proposed during breakout sessions included ways the Materials Marketplace can help businesses and organizations:

• Help our team better understand the market by creating listings for textiles as an available material.

• For companies that can process textiles, create wanted listings with your detailed spec requirements.

• Start conversations with organizations that have textiles as available material and/or those that can process them as wanted materials.

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Presentation Download

Overview

Our second Great Lakes Circular Materials Roundtable was hosted in late June 2020 and focused on film plastics. Here's a quick recap, and some key takeaways and observations from our team:

Presentations were provided by these speakers:

• Katie Fournier, Project Coordinator at Michigan Recycling Coalition

• Lindsey Walker, Commercial Recycling Market Development at Emmet County

• Matt Keiswetter, Packaging Division Manager at Petoskey Plastics

• Arjun Krishnan, Recyclable Materials and Supply Manager at EFS Plastics

• Price Murphy, Director of Operations at Revolution Plastics

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Key Takeaways

• Partnerships between MRFs like Emmet County Recycling and manufacturers like Trex have enabled reprocessing of film plastics into new products. Emmet County is a great example to follow for municipalities interested in accepting film plastics.

• Petoskey Plastics - a Michigan-based manufacturer - has a closed-loop process for stretch film/pallet wrap, clear bags & packaging (LLDPE & LDPE), and color bags and packaging (soft metal & PET contaminated).

• EFS Plastics specialized in post-consumer plastic film recycling, and can process a variety of #2 and #4 plastic films.

• Revolution Plastics also has a closed-loop manufacturing process, producing up to 97% post-consumer resin, and offers some very unique solutions for ag plastics.

• Aggregation of small volume supplies will be key to unlocking additional market supply - the Materials Marketplace can play a data gathering role that may unlock some new creative solutions.

Action Items

Solutions proposed during breakout sessions included ways the Materials Marketplace can help businesses and organizations:

• Help our team better understand the market by creating listings for film plastics as an available material.

• For companies that can process film plastics, create wanted listings with your detailed spec requirements.

• Start conversations with organizations that have plastic films as available material and/or those that can process them as wanted materials.

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Presentation Download

Overview

The first virtual roundtable was held on April 14, 2020, and focused on pallets - a universally difficult material to manage for many facilities in the region. 53 participants joined the virtual discussion, representing a range of businesses and organizations either:

• generating/storing pallets and looking for a solution (46%)

• providing solutions to help entities manage pallets (15%)

• or enabling connections through a government or academic role (38%)

Speakers from Dicastal Logistics Group, Kurtz Brothers, Shepherd Hardware, and Kamps Pallets helped participants understand some of the key challenges when working with the material, and helped tee-up potential solutions for the group to later explore in breakout groups.

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Key Takeaways

• Used pallets in good condition and meeting the right size specifications can be reused, repaired, or remanufactured to maintain or increase the economic value of the pallet lifecycle. Tools like the Materials Marketplace can help uncover these business-to-business connections, and solution providers in the pallets space can be important connectors.

• Pallets that are no longer in condition for industrial purposes can be mulched - but plywood, OSB or painted and stained pallets are challenging for this use case.

• Proper storage of unused pallets is very important for maintaining value and applicability of higher/better use applications. Pallets stored outside for long periods of time deteriorate and attract pests, making them less desirable.

• Companies should engage their supply chain to drive awareness and education around best practices for pallet types, sizes and uses.

• Undesirable pallets that cannot be reused, repaired or recycled can be burned at biomass facilities as an energy source, but access to those facilities is limited and they're currently inundated with materials.
  

Action Items

• If you haven’t already, set up an account on the Materials Marketplace.

• Post listings on your available and wanted materials - our pallets category will ask a few specifics about the types of pallets available.

• Use the Materials Marketplace to connect with other roundtable attendees - and feel free to reach out to our team if you’d like to connect with anyone specifically.

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