Food waste and cardboard among top materials sampled from state’s landfills 

• Study sampled waste from eight sites across Michigan, sorting approximately 10 tons of material
• Michigan garbage contains an estimated $368 million of recyclable material
• Capturing this material would have a $399 million economic impact, or an estimated 2,619 jobs
• West Michigan garbage contains an estimated $52 million of recyclable material
• In communities with recycling programs, 42% of garbage is “easily recyclable”
• Food waste accounted for 13.6% of garbage, the largest source of divertible material
• Corrugated cardboard a “high-volume, high-value opportunity” material at 8.4%, but more prevalent in commercial waste (10.5% commercial to 5.8% residential)

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