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Multi-Family Complex Recycling <br />H15tOry/Tre11d5: Roseville has an organized collection system for recycling collection at <br />single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes and four-plexes. Roseville has never included multi- <br />family complexes in the City recycling program. The City has traditionally treated multi-family <br />complexes more as businesses instead of residential dwellings. This has led to some confusion in <br />City policy the most glaring example of which is that multi-family complexes are charged for the <br />City's curbside recycling program but not provided with the service. <br />� <br />Roseville's policy of treating multi-family complexes as a business is <br />also in conflict with State law and Ramsey County policy. Minnesota <br />law requires counties to provide for recycling services to all residents at <br />the place they live. Ramsey County interprets that to include multi- <br />family complexes. <br />� Ramsey County monitors Roseville's compliance with Sta�e law. <br />Ramsey County has informed Roseville that the City's annual SCORE <br />grant may not be awarded if Roseville does not have a system to assure <br />on-site recycling service to multi-family complex residents (additionally the service must collect <br />four distinct categories such as glass, aluminum, cardboard and newspaper). The SCORE grant <br />of more than $60,000 is used to offset the cost of the curbside recycling program thus reducing <br />the quarterly charge assessed. <br />The 1991 report Options for Residential Waste Collection and Recycling for Roseville recam- <br />mended establishing a committee of multi-family complex residents, building owners/managers, <br />and haulers to explore and recommend ways and means for separating and collecting recyclables <br />generated by these residents. To the best of our knowledge that committee was never established. <br />Currently 25 complexes with 2,601 units contract with private haulers to offer recycling services <br />to their residents. Seventy-five complexes with 4,444 units do not. Most collect newspaper and <br />commingled containers. A few also collect cardboard. <br />Sixty-two percent of multi-family compleX residents surveyed in 2002 said they would like to <br />join the Roseville recycling program. <br />The survey shows that residents of multi-family complexes say they recycle a significantly lower <br />percentage of their waste. For instance only 28% recycle junk mail while 63% of homeowners <br />recycle junk mail. That is just one reason why paper products make up 35% of our garbage by <br />weight. <br />Concerns <br />Multi-family residents are traditionally more transient that homeowners. SiYty percent of the <br />multi-family residents in the 2002 survey have lived in Roseville six years or less. Twenty <br />percent are 25 years old or younger. <br />While it's desired that more residents get the opportunity to recycle, it can be difficult to get <br />multi-family complex resident to use recycling programs. Because they may be new to the area, <br />53 <br />