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potential to increase recycling and eliminating barriers, while using ideas gleaned <br /> from partnering with communities within the County, specifically on the business <br /> side. <br /> Mr. Hansen highlighted some of the Plan's initiatives, including product <br /> stewardship; organic waste management; a greater emphasis on commercial <br /> recycling; greater expectations for municipalities such as in service to multi- <br /> family unit recycling efforts; communication, consultation, and technical <br /> assistance; pushing demolition/construction waste up the hierarchy; and hauler <br /> licensing expanded to non-MSW and recycling collectors. <br /> Discussion among members and Mr. Hansen included the neutrality of the draft <br /> Plan related to organized versus private refuse collection, with Mr. Hansen <br /> advising that this was intentional on the County's part; however, he offered their <br /> technical engineering expertise and the County's role to provide research or <br /> background information to allow cities to make decisions based on the best <br /> information available and as requested, all with the overall goals of helping cities <br /> manage their risk and negotiate good recycling contracts. <br /> Additional discussion included progress in the public and private sectors, once <br /> MPCA rules and design standards are completed for composting organics while <br /> protecting groundwater; politics involved in policy discussions; new companies <br /> and new technologies moving in the solid waste field; costs and route density in <br /> considering collection of organic materials; and potential for location of transit <br /> stations in certain areas in the metropolitan area and joint efforts with other <br /> counties. <br /> Mr. Pratt noted that one recommendation of Ramsey County was for cities <br /> initiating residential collection of organics by 2016, and impacts to the City's <br /> receipt of SCORE grant funds based on the City's expansion of recycling <br /> programs (e.g. multi-family property collection of recyclables); and a pilot <br /> program currently underway in the City of St. Paul by Eureka Recycling. <br /> Further discussion included what would and how to compel current waste haulers <br /> to truthfully declare what and how much they were hauling and the actual <br /> destination of the material, whether for processing of ending up at a landfill; and <br /> the necessity to provide additional education for residents in Ramsey County for <br /> the Plan, as well as specific to municipalities within the County. <br /> Mr. Hansen thanked members for that comment, and suggested that the Plan <br /> could include a reporting requirement by ordinance at the County level to gather <br /> more information on recycles through cooperation among the haulers and <br /> licensing of recycling firms. Mr. Hansen admitted that the numbers currently <br /> being provided for residential collections is accurate, but not from the commercial <br /> side. <br /> Page 3 of 16 <br />