News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Friday, a Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority truck is seen parked in front of the recycling facility on M-32. Executive Director Bailey Barr says that the facility expects to be in their new building by spring.

ALPENA — The Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority (NMMMA) expects to begin recycling pick-up in Iosco County by mid-September as part of an ongoing initiative to partner with communities across Northeast Michigan.

According to Bailey Barr, NMMMA executive director, the recycling authority has an agreement with Iosco County to begin pick-up services for recyclable materials in Oscoda, Tawas, and Whittemore.

Barr said the NMMMA is glad to have the partnership with Iosco County as it will expand the organization’s reach beyond Alpena County and enable them to improve access to recycling services in the region.

Barr said the expansion to Iosco County shows why the new Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is necessary.

“This is exactly why we need this new facility,” Barr said. “We are at our peak for our current facility … I think it will definitely be a learning curve to staff correctly, but I think we will be able to handle it.”

Barr explained that the new MRF will make their operations more efficient and offer new opportunities for growth. The authority is looking to expand their services to curbside pick-up in the future.

“The new building will improve efficiency for us substantially,” Barr said.

Barr stated that as NMMMA continues to grow they will start looking to recruit more employees for both facility operations and trucking.

NMMMA anticipates moving operations to the new MRF by spring of 2026, according to Barr. He explained that all the bids for equipment are complete and the authority is only waiting for building bids to finish.

At the earliest, Barr said that construction might start late this fall or early this winter.

Alpena Mayor Cindy Johnson, chairwoman of the recycling authority, told The News that she is proud of the progress NMMMA has made in providing recycling services to community members, especially as the authority expands beyond Alpena.

“NMMMA has made significant progress in advancing recycling efforts across our region,” Johnson said. “Our partnership with Iosco County is a strong example of how we’re aligning with the State of Michigan’s goal for every county to have access to effective recycling programs.”

Like Barr, Johnson stated that the new MRF will enhance NMMMA’s ability to serve community members in Alpena and beyond.

“Once our new facility is operational, we will have the capacity to partner with additional counties in our region, something that is currently lacking in Northern Michigan,” Johnson said. “Our new facility will be a game-changer, expanding local and regional recycling opportunities that have never been possible before.”

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.