Organic Material Partners Wanted

Organic materials like agricultural waste, wood chips and manure are organic materials that can be repurposed for things like soil amendments and burned for fuel. Spent grain can be fed to certain insects to create a byproduct used in bioplastics. Sawdust from a furniture factory can be used as an effective packing substrate for mushroom farmers. The possibilities for organic material reuse are mounting for businesses and municipalities willing to look further into them.
 

Envisioning circular industrial parks

By diverting durable, low-carbon materials from landfills and retaining them locally, MARC and our partners at the Foundation for Regeneration aim to build a more resilient and self-reliant regional ecosystem. The larger vision includes the development of circular industrial parks to leverage our region's intermodal logistics. These parks could position the region as a Midwest hub for secondary materials, and are designed to stimulate business growth, create high-quality jobs and provide the community with more equitable access to affordable goods and healthy food.

The initiative is focusing this RFI on the recovery and repurposing of organic waste materials. Examples are provided in the questionnaire linked below. Identifying solution providers who are interested in co-locating on this site or others can help maximize the value of this material and is key to the long-term success of these local circular parks.