The story that is building a super drop off center

Today's story is part of a series from NextCycle Michigan that MI Environment runs periodically to highlight the program's effort to attract end markets for recyclable materials through new companies and new jobs in Michigan, leveraging state dollars with private investment. NextCycle Michigan is an EGLE initiative.

Dan Broersma painted a picture of a quintessential moment in a quiet neighborhood in the city of Holland on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan: “You’re on Tulip Lane. It’s May, and you see the tulips and windmills. You take a deep breath as you face the sun, and you smell...” Scowling, he presents a twist: “...something musty.”

Broersma, the sustainability manager for Holland, shared his story during the NextCycle Michigan Showcase in October 2024. That musty odor, overpowering the fragrant floral notes of over six million tulips planted throughout the city, was emanating from a mattress that was waiting for disposal. Next to it, the household had also set out a full recycling bin, a clear indication that they want to do the right thing when it came to waste materials.