Solid Waste 2002 report - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

expires in 2003. The White Bear Township site is threatened by possible encroachment from neighboring North Oaks. There is little or no room to expand at other sites. Ramsey County says it wi]] not replace any yard waste sites that close. Roseville, Ramsey County and state environ- mental organizations are addressing the space crunch by encouraging backyard composting and by continuing with efforts to decrease the amount of yard waste generated by residents. Metro area counties have sold reduced price backyard compost bins in 2001 and 2002. They may extend the program into 2003, but it's not lilcely to last beyond that. Residents are encouraged to mulch their grass, mow less often and use other low maintenance lawn care techniques. In 1990 the Roseville Citizen's Advisory Committee for Residential Solid Waste Management held a public seminar with Ramsey County Master Gardeners on lawn and garden care. The Committee also authored a four-page handout on dealing with yard waste, and articles in the June 1990 Roseville Newsletter on mulching and composting of yard waste. The March/April 2002 Roseville Wrap included an article on low maintenance lawn care using material generated by the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance for a campaign it will launch later this year. The information appears to be sinlcing in. Fifty-nine percent of Roseville homeowners surveyed in 2002 said they mulch their grass clippings and 20% compost some or all of their yard waste in their backyard. BaCl�yard COmpOSting: Metro area counties are encouraging residents � to do more backyard composting and to include food waste in their composting. A 1999 study showed that 26% of our garbage by weight is organic material such as food scraps much of which can be composted or recycled. In 2001 the counties began offering reduced price recycling bins to residents. The response was high so the counties are continuing the program ;, '�- in 2002. In 2001 243 Roseville residents bought a bin through the program. In 2002 Roseville and Ramsey County are coordinating publicity to increase ,_ I that number. The March/April Roseville Wrap included an article about the - I � compost bin program and order forms are available at City Hall and the �, �": ��V�� Harriet Alexander Nature Center. The counties are considering extending �'^ the compost bin program into 2003. Following a 1991 study of solid waste and recycling practices in Roseville the City adopted an ordinance on backyard composting. The ordinance allows backyard composting that may include yard waste, brush and kitchen waste, must not be unsightly, must not cause offensive odors and must not attract rodents. Twenty percent of homeowners surveyed in 2002 said they composted yard waste in their backyard, 14% composted brush and 8% composted leaves. What Other Cities Do About Yard Waste Some cities with organized collection of garbage such as Hutchinson, Minnesota and Mesa, Arizona offer curbside collection of yard waste as part of the City's waste and recycling collec- tion program. Households are provided a 90 gallon wheeled cart similar to a garbage cart. In both cases the cities use green carts for yard waste and other colored carts for garbage. Yard waste is collected weekly and taken to a compost facility. Hutchinson residents pay a monthly fee for garbage, recycling and collection of yard waste and other organics. Mesa residents are �