The听Kent County Department of Public Works听(DPW) has hired a new team member who will help Kent County residents and businesses learn how to reduce and repurpose waste.听Emma Dillman听is the newest Waste Reduction Educator at the DPW after taking on the role in November. The team of waste reduction and resource recovery specialists at the DPW leads tours of the department鈥檚 three main facilities and efforts to increase recycling and waste reduction awareness for businesses and residents.
Dillman has worked in solid waste for years, most recently in Indiana as an environmental educator where she helped students of all ages understand recycling and waste and their roles in protecting the environment. She was also previously a shared intern between the Western Michigan Environmental Action Council and the DPW鈥檚 Recycling & Education Center.
For Dillman, her dedication to waste reduction and sustainability is more than a job.听鈥淭here are many topics related to protecting the environment that are complicated and require a great deal of knowledge, but waste reduction is an entry-level topic that everyone can learn about and take part in, and it really makes a difference for our land, air and water,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to helping people be part of solutions, develop new, healthier habits and take their first steps toward a cleaner community.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited to have Emma on board at DPW,鈥� said听Dar Baas, director at the DPW. 鈥淪he brings incredible expertise in environmental stewardship, sustainability education and her knowledge of the Spanish language will be a major benefit for Kent County residents. Our waste reduction educators play a huge role in progressing toward our goals of reducing landfill waste, and Emma will be an integral part of that.鈥�