By SARA QAMAR
Michigan officials will soon announce the winning proposal for the annual Pollution Prevention Grant Program administered by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
Producer recycling responsibility. Photo: wiserearth.com via creative commons
Product stewardship, a concept which puts environmental responsibility on consumers and producers, was this year’s theme.
The competition helps perk up collaboration between consumers and producers to promote environmentally sound ways of disposing consumer products.
The winning group will be announced later this month after a review from a statewide board, said Maggie Fields, a field officer with the Office of Pollution Prevention and Compliance Assistance.
It will receive a grant of $50,000 and is expected to match the amount with 25 percent either in goods or services, cash or third party contributions. The group must also implement its program within two years.
If the program proves successful, it could be used as a model for statewide application.
Rich Alexander, the agency’s supervisor for the programs said, “Product stewardship is a timely topic right now. It’s expanding. Consumers want to know the products they’re buying are safe and environmentally friendly.”
Another set of grants focuses on sustainable communities, which will give several smaller awards.
Last year’s recipients received awards up to $50,000 for climate-action themed projects: Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Hazel Park, Southgate and Ypsilanti.
Dearborn is developing a transit-oriented program to encourage people to take the train to work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the need for parking spaces, said David Norwood, city sustainability coordinator.
The city is sharing its successes and failures with others like Grand Rapids, he said.
“We probably wouldn’t do any of this without the grant,” he said.
The criteria for selecting this year’s winner was based on more than just creativity but also on the required techniques and the applicants’ knowledge of the topic, Alexander said.
“We think there are only a few people out there who know a lot about product stewardship. It may come down to experience, who has the best or most,” he said.
Emma Ogutu contributed to the story.