Consider Recycling Programming for 2021

Each year, the City is receives SCORE (Select Committee On Recycling and the Environment) funding for the recycling program through Anoka County (which the county receives from the State).  Ramsey's allotted base funding for 2021 is $57,990 ($10,000 + $5.00 per household; based on 2019 Metropolitan Council data), but there is also an opportunity to request additional funding for various uses.  The other categories include Drop-Off programming (up to $15,000), General Enhancement (up to $9,598), and Organics (up to $9,598).

The purpose of this case is to provide the Environmental Policy Board an opportunity to discuss and/or identify new programming opportunities and potential enhancements to the City's recycling program.  Anoka County has provided more detailed documentation that needs to accommodate the funding request and this is due by September 30, 2020.  

The base funding is used to cover expenses generally related to recycling education and promotion, recycling events, staff time, etc.  The additional funding categories are available to prompt cities to enhance recycling programming in an attempt to meet the State of Minnesota goal of recycling 75% of solid waste by 2030.  While this funding would provide some flexibility for the City to explore and implement either enhancements and/or new recycling options, there also needs to be resources (staffing) available to successfully accomplish this.  

After speaking with several other communities, one enhancement that could be incorporated into existing programming for 2021 (and wouldn't require much, if any, additional staff time) would be a coupon program for the City's recycling events.  Multiple cities have recently begun to offer this and it has been very successful.  This may also assist those that have been economically impacted by COVID-19 to still properly dispose of various items.

Thus, in addition to the base funding allocation, Staff will be seeking an additional $13,500 to implement this promotional coupon program.  The bulk of that many would go toward the cost of recycling the various items, with a small portion reserved for labor costs at the event(s).  It is anticipated that this funding would only be available for a single event.  Staff will be exploring the logistics of this over the coming months.  It is acknowledged that this type of programming is not sustainable long term without continued access to this enhancement funding.

Additionally, Staff still intends to provide the 'extra' opportunities for cardboard recycling over the winter holidays and holiday lights collection in December and November.   These costs have been accounted for under the base funding.

This is being handled as part of Staff's regular duties.  Since it involves recycling, this portion of Staff's time is reimbursable with SCORE funds.

Based on discussion.