100 new jobs tied to planned $40M Priority Waste materials recovery facility in Flint

FLINT, MI -- Priority Waste plans to create 100 permanent jobs in Flint by building a $40-million materials recovery facility, an operation designed to sort and prepare recyclable materials from five counties for resale.

Priority, which collects household trash and recyclables from curbsides in Flint, Fenton and Davison, plans to build the nearly 68,000-square-foot complex at Dort Highway and Pierson Road.

Work on the facility is expected to begin later this year, supporting another 150 temporary construction jobs.

Priority Chief Executive Officer Todd Stamper mentioned the development during a news conference in Flint in February when the company rolled out eight new automated service trucks for Flint pickup routes.

The MRF development is expected to initially process more than 25,000 tons of plastic bottles and containers, glass bottles and jars, cardboard, aluminum and paper.

The Genesee County Board of Commissioners is expected to consider a letter of support for the project on Wednesday, March 12.

Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley has already endorsed the facility, calling it a “a game-changer for our city and county” with the potential to position the city as a leader in environmental sustainability.

“This isn’t just about recycling,” Neeley said in a statement to MLive-The Flint Journal. “It’s about investing in our future, creating opportunities for our people, and proving through prayer, planning and partnership we have done so much and will accomplish more.”

Support from the city and county is necessary for the facility, which requires a finding of consistency with local materials management plans by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

Priority spokesman Matt Allen said in a statement to the Journal that Flint’s new recycling and trash curbside carts and automated trucks will supply part of the stream of materials at a planned transfer station and the MRF.

The facility will also service waste from five surrounding counties, according to materials provided to county commissioners ahead of Wednesday’s meeting.

A resolution being considered by commissioners says the MRF and transfer station are expected to make up the 7.25-acre footprint of the complex and that household and commercial waste will be processed.

“A modern MRF and processing and transfer facility will provide Genesee County with a much-needed local solution for recycling, reducing landfill waste, and promoting circular economy,” a draft letter of support says. “By processing recyclable materials more efficiently, the facility will help to decrease environmental pollution, conserve natural resources, and support Genesee County’s priority of healthy, livable, and safe communities through environmental stewardship.”

MRFs use a combination of machines, equipment, and manual labor to sort materials for sale to end buyers.

The facilities unload and sort material from collection vehicles, then reloads waste materials on larger trucks for transport to landfills.

“Paired with (Neeley’s letter of support), Genesee County’s written support will allow Priority Waste to move to the next necessary steps of getting proper permitting and approval of the development through EGLE,” county Planning Commission Director Derek Bradshaw said in a staff review for commissioners.

Clinton Township-based Priority took over Flint’s curbside waste pickups in September 2021, agreeing to a three-year, $19.7-million contract to handle the job. The contract was later extended to run through mid-2028.

The company replaced Republic Services as the city’s waste contractor and also has contracts with Fenton, Davison, Holly, Montrose, and Swartz Creek in the county. It also serves portions of Saginaw, Shiawassee and Tuscola counties.