Update on Current and Future Recycling Goals

The purpose of this case is to provide an update to the City Council regarding current and future recycling goals.  As background information, the City's recycling program is funded through the State's Select Committee On Recycling and the Environment (SCORE).  The SCORE funds are distributed to counties who then determine how to utilize the funds.  Anoka  County disburses the SCORE funds to each municipality with a base of $10,000 plus $5 per household.  Ramsey's base funding for 2018 is $54,865.00.  SCORE funds are only eligible to be spent on residential recycling programs (i.e. they cannot be used toward the commercial sector).

To receive the SCORE funding, each municipality must enter into an agreement with Anoka County that outlines required components of a municipality’s recycling program. These required components include providing households an opportunity to recycle at least four (4) broad types of materials, a public information program, recycling drop-off opportunities, and notifying new residents of the recycling program. Furthermore, municipalities are encouraged, but not required, to look at opportunities to expand its recycling program by offering additional drop-off events, implement and/or enhance recycling at community events, enhance multi-family recycling opportunities, and/or develop opportunities for source separated compostables/organics collection.

Anoka County also establishes the annual recycling goals for each municipality.  These goals are based on a formula that addresses both single family houses and multi-family households (this includes townhome buildings with five [5] or more units per building).  The formula is based on 210 pounds per person in single family homes (this represents a ten [10] pound per person increase from 2017) and 160 pounds per person in multi-family buildings (this is the same as in 2017).  Based on Ramsey’s population of 26,251 (per the 2016 Met Council estimates), the 2018 goal is 2,696 tons (an increase of 141 tons compared to 2017). 

It should be noted that while the numbers are not yet finalized for 2017, it appears that Ramsey will have met or exceeded its recycling goal for the fourteenth (14th) consecutive year.  The preliminary numbers indicate that the residents of Ramsey recycled approximately 2,800 tons of material in 2017, which clearly exceeded the 2017 goal of 2,555 tons.

 

Ramsey residents continue to do a great job recycling.  However, the annual recycling goals will continue to increase in response to legislation enacted by the State in 2014.  The State Legislature amended Minn. Stat. § 115A.551 to specify that metropolitan counties shall establish a goal of recycling seventy-five percent (75%) by weight of total solid waste generated (this was increased from fifty percent [50%]).  Each county either must develop and implement, or require political subdivisions within the county to develop and implement programs, practices, or methods designed to meet the recycling goal.

Presently, the most current data available shows that within Anoka County, the percentage of waste recycled has increased by one percent (1%) each year from 2014-2016.  However, the total percentage of waste recycled is still only fifty-two percent (52%).  Achieving the established goal of seventy-five percent (75%) by 2030 is going to be very challenging.  If the same incremental increases in recycling continued, that would still fall short of the stated goal by ten percent (10%).

Over the past several years, Staff has expanded recycling opportunities in an effort to improve quality of life for residents but also with an intention of continuing to meet the annual recycling goals.  Staff has worked closely with the Public Works Department to ensure there are recycling containers in all of our parks (in most cases, wherever there is a garbage receptacle, there is now a recycling receptacle too) and that those containers are serviced as part of their weekly 'trash runs'.  The list of acceptable materials collected at the spring and fall recycling events has been expanded to now also include textiles, carpet, carpet padding, used oil, antifreeze and oil filters.  Furthermore, in 2017, a third (summer) recycling event was programed in an attempt to offer yet another opportunity for residents to properly dispose of a number of different types of materials.  Finally, an organics drop-off recycling program was rolled out in the summer of 2017 to help capture even more material for recycling.

As is evidenced above, the City has expanded the opportunities for residents to recycle a wide array of materials.  However, based on the goals outlined in State Statute, it will likely require more focused efforts to develop additional opportunities for residential recycling.  This could include hiring an intern devoted to researching, developing and implementing new recycling opportunities (would be a SCORE eligible expense).  Focus areas may include expansion of the organics recycling program, working directly with apartment complexes to improve recycling, expanding drop-off opportunities such as leaf and pumpkin collection in the fall (however, this also requires cooperation and coordination with Public Works for both space and equipment needs) and additional paper shredding events.

The alternative may be to simply acknowledge that the goals may not be attainable.  It is unclear what, if any, consequences there could be for failing to attain the recycling goal.  However, one potential outcome could be reduced access to SCORE funding in future years.

Ramsey's recycling program and related staff time are funded with SCORE funds received from Anoka County annually and recorded under the Recycling Enterprise Fund.

There is no specific recommendation.  This is intended simply as an update for City Council.

No specific action is required.