{"id":21915,"date":"2026-01-14T10:26:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T15:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/?post_type=event&p=21915"},"modified":"2026-01-21T13:45:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T18:45:55","slug":"modernizing-michigans-bottle-deposit-system-insights-from-new-research","status":"publish","type":"event","link":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/event\/modernizing-michigans-bottle-deposit-system-insights-from-new-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Modernizing Michigan\u2019s Bottle Deposit System: Insights from New Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Date: March 12, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM ET (11:00 AM CT)<\/strong>
Location: Zoom<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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REGISTER NOW<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Webinar Topic: Modernizing Michigan\u2019s Bottle Deposit System: Insights from New Research<\/strong><\/strong>
Guest Speaker<\/strong>:\u00a0Shelli Miller, Jonathan W. Buckley Collegiate, Co-Director – Centre for Sustainable Systems School for Environment and Sustainability | University of Michigan<\/strong>, Tamanna Sengputa, Second Year Master’s Student, Environment and Sustainability | University of Michigan<\/strong>
Moderator: Ally Walker, Program Officer, Circular Economy, Council of the Great Lakes Region<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michigan\u2019s bottle deposit law has long been viewed as a national model for beverage container recycling, yet declining redemption rates signal the need for thoughtful modernization. A new, comprehensive study examines the effectiveness of Michigan\u2019s deposit system by analyzing the drivers behind falling redemption rates, benchmarking Michigan against other leading programs, and incorporating insights from a wide range of industry stakeholders. Supported by the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) and other strategic partners, the research concluded with a report that offers data-driven recommendations to strengthen the system\u2019s ability to reduce waste, support a circular economy, and advance Michigan\u2019s broader sustainability and recycling goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this webinar, we will explore the study\u2019s key findings and what they mean for the future of recycling policy and infrastructure in Michigan and across the Great Lakes region. Discussion topics will include shifting consumer behavior, the growing role of curbside recycling, inequities in redemption access between urban and rural communities, and the implications of increased unredeemed deposits for state funding priorities. The webinar will also examine opportunities for reform, such as expanding covered beverages, reinvesting escheat funds into recycling infrastructure, and aligning bottle bill modernization with Michigan\u2019s Healthy Climate Plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The webinar will feature Shelie Miller, a lead researcher on the study, who will walk participants through the analysis and recommendations and offer insight into how Michigan\u2019s experience can inform bottle deposit policy and circular economy efforts throughout the Great Lakes region. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of the tradeoffs, opportunities, and policy pathways needed to ensure deposit systems remain effective, equitable, and resilient in the years ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPEAKER:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shelli Miller | Jonathan W. Buckley Collegiate, Co-Director – Centre for Sustainable Systems School for Environment and Sustainability | University of Michigan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shelie Miller is the Jonathan W. Bulkley Collegiate Professor in Sustainable Systems at the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan.  She researches the environmental impacts of consumer products and circular economy innovations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tamanna Sengputa | Second Year Master’s Student | Environment and Sustainability | University of Michigan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tamanna is a second-year master\u2019s student at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, specializing in Sustainable Systems and Environmental Justice. Her research focuses on environmental policy and infrastructure, with particular attention to equity implications in systems such as waste management and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MODERATOR:<\/strong>
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Ally Walker | Program Officer, Circular Economy<\/strong>
Ally Walker is the Program Officer of Circular Economy at the Council of the Great Lakes Region, where she leads several key projects under the Circular Great Lakes initiative, including the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup, Boat Wrap Recycling Program, Dart Stormwater Grant, Return to Retail Takeback Program, and Legislative Outreach and Education project. Since joining CGLR in 2022, Ally has combined her background in sustainability policy, regional recycling systems, and stakeholder engagement to drive cross-sector solutions that advance a more circular economy. She holds a Master\u2019s in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and is passionate about building lasting change through informed policymaking and collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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register now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Date: March 12, 2026Time: 12:00 PM ET (11:00 AM CT)Location: Zoom Webinar Topic: Modernizing Michigan\u2019s Bottle Deposit System: Insights from New ResearchGuest Speaker:\u00a0Shelli Miller, Jonathan W. Buckley Collegiate, Co-Director – …<\/p>\nRead more<\/a>","protected":false},"author":110,"featured_media":21921,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[693],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21915","event","type-event","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-webinar"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event\/21915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/event"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/110"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event\/21915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21970,"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event\/21915\/revisions\/21970"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/councilgreatlakesregion.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}