Adopt Resolution #23-234 to Enter into a Residential Recycling Program Agreement with Anoka County - Please Note:  this case was moved from the Consent Agenda - Case 5.24 - to the regular agenda - Case 7.5.

Each year, Anoka County receives funding from the State of Minnesota pursuant to Minnesota Statute § 115A.557. The County distributes these funds, known as SCORE (Select Committee On Recycling and the Environment) funds, to municipalities within the county. In 2024, the allocation includes a base of $10,000 plus $5.00 per household. Ramsey’s base allocation for 2024 is up to $59,625.  There are also additional grant funding categories that include: (1) Drop-off, (2) General Enhancement, (3) Organics, (4) Supplemental Funding (to help support waste abatement programs or program development), and (5) Labor and Staffing.

The funding is intended to help municipalities achieve their recycling goals as established by the Anoka County Board of Commissioners. Ramsey’s 2024 recycling goal, established by Anoka County, is 3,100 tons. The goal is based on 225 pounds per person (single family households, up to four [4] units) and 150 pounds per person for multi-tenant households (five [5] or more units). The City of Ramsey has traditionally used these funds to promote recycling and waste reduction education and awareness, notifying new residents of the recycling program components, to offset costs of the spring and fall recycling day events and other collection events/opportunities, and to fund the recycling coordinator position, whose duties are a component of the Senior Planner position.

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 with 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 their recycling program by offering additional drop-off events, enhancing recycling at community events, enhancing multi-family recycling opportunities, and/or developing opportunities for source separated organics collection.

Ramsey's tonnage goal for 2024 is 3,100 tons, which represents an increase of 125 tons compared to the 2023 goal.  The increase is not surprising.  Since 2019, tonnage goals have generally increased year over year, with the exception of 2021 to 2022, when it remained static at 2,858 tons. The generally steady increase in tonnage goals over the past several years reflects the County's attempt to achieve the very optimistic benchmark goal, set by the state of Minnesota, of recycling 75% of total solid waste generated (by weight) by 2030.

There have been growing challenges related to recycling over the past several years. First, China implemented very restrictive thresholds for contaminants in bales of recycled materials, which significantly impacted exporting recyclables overseas. Secondly, the fluctuations in the recycling markets have also brought into question what is truly recyclable. At this time, items such as black plastic frozen dinner trays, freezer boxes, and fiber egg cartons, should not be put in the recycling cart as there is no longer a market for these materials (this is a change from past years).

Due to the day to day changes in the recycling world, there needs to be a greater emphasis on the basic tenets of recycling, which would be to focus on fiber (paper and cardboard), aluminum and steel/tin cans, glass, and plastic containers, tubs, bottles and lids that have a #1 or #2 stamped on them (essentially back to the basics of recycling).

Education continues to be important to avoid the 'wish-cycling' mentality. Wish-cycling is the thought (or hope) that by placing a material or product in the recycling cart, somebody will find a way to recycle it. This is leading to excessive contamination of the recycling stream. The recycling motto has now shifted to 'when in doubt, throw it out'. 

Staff experimented with a 'curbside recycling event' for bulky items (e.g. appliances, electronics, mattresses) in July of 2023.  This seemed to be well received by the community as ninety-five (95) households utilized the program this year.  Staff does intend to offer this same style of event in 2024.  

Alternatives

Alternative 1: Enter into the Residential Recycling Agreement to receive $69,350.00 in SCORE funds from Anoka County. The funds will assist the City with efforts to meet the 2024 tonnage goal established by Anoka County. Staff supports this alternative.

Alternative 2: Do not enter into the Residential Recycling Agreement with the County. By not executing this agreement with the County, the City would not receive any SCORE funding for 2024. A portion of the Senior Planner position is funded through this allocation (duties related to managing the recycling program), as are all recycling related activities, including the spring and fall recycling events. Staff does not support this option.

 

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.

Motion to adopt Resolution #23-234 to enter into a Residential Recycling Agreement with Anoka County to receive SCORE funds for 2024.