Beaver Island, the most remote inhabited island in the Great Lakes, is poised to transform its recycling system with an $86,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Awarded to Peaine and St. James townships, the funding will support the purchase of two reverse vending machines and necessary equipment to establish Michigan鈥檚 first community-based redemption center at the Beaver Island Transfer Station and Recycling Center. This facility will be the first in the state to accept 10-cent deposit bottles and cans at a location independent of a retail store.
Recycling on Beaver Island is vastly different from that of mainland communities. Without year-round ferry service, the island faces significant logistical hurdles, particularly in the winter months when recycling must be stored until it can be transported off the island.