Upgrading and Upcycling in Cheboygan

July 30, 2022

Great Lakes Tissue Company, a paper mill based in Cheboygan, has been using 100 percent recycled materials to make their tissue products for nearly 30 years. Their bread and butter: recycled food and beverage cartons, which are made primarily of paper but also contain a small amount of polyethylene (plastic) and aluminum. They recently announced a collaboration with the Carton Council of North America, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to go even greener. The partnership sends new funds to the mill for upgraded equipment that is both more efficient with the poly/aluminum residue and reduces water use throughout the pulping process. The residue is then sent to St. Mary’s Cement in Charlevoix, skipping the landfill and offsetting the use of coal as fuel. This new venture is part of NextCycle Michigan, a program designed to foster recycling, recovery, and reuse initiatives. For more creative sustainability solutions, check out nextcyclemichigan.com.