ADRIAN — Lenawee County officials are exploring new ways to keep construction debris out of local landfills, with permitting reforms on the table as a potential solution.
At the recent Criminal Justice Committee meeting, waste management staff flagged construction materials as a major contributor to landfill volume — much of it recoverable. To address the issue, the county is considering adding language to building permits that would encourage or even require contractors to divert salvageable materials like scrap metal, wood, and other reusable waste.
Solid Waste Program Coordinator Julie Maurer had this to say:
That was Solid Waste Program Coordinator Julie Maurer.
The proposed shift is still in early discussion stages but could lead to stronger expectations — or mandates — for sorting and reuse, especially on large-scale projects. Officials acknowledged that while space and time on job sites can be tight, the environmental and economic cost of sending reusable materials to landfills is too high to ignore.