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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Ramsey and Washington Counties and Northern States Pawer Company (NSP) propose to camplete a feasibility study far �he deve�apment and staged implementation of a regional intermediate processing system. The project wil� evaluate how an efficient materials recovery system can be implemented in Ramsey and Washington Counties using a combina�ion of source separation and mechanical separation of recyclables from mixed municipal solid waste. The processing system to be analyzed would mechanically separate and process glass, aluminum and ferrous meta�s, and would pracess source separated newspaper, qlass, aluminum, and corrugated cardboard. The project will investigate transportation and markeiing of processed materials. The project will analyze the economics of an intermediate processing system, and wi11 explore financing options for developing such a system. The averall qoal of the project is ta determine an optzmum balance between source separation and mechanical processzng to reclaim recyclable materials using faczlities and projects already in existence or proposed. Figure 1 pravides a graphic representation o� the proposed intermediate processing system. Several components of the proposed system already exist. Ramsey and Washington Counties have contracted with NSp who wi11 design, build, own, and aperate a Resaurce Recovery Facility. That facility is currently under construction an�, in 1987 when it becomes operational, the plant will process mixed municipal waste into Refuse Derived Fuel and will separate ferraus metals. The proposed project will evalua�e whether g�ass and aluminurn can be mechanically separated alang with fe�rous metals. Ramsey County currently owns a recycling center and several pieces of equipmen� to process source separated materials. The center was purchased with a grant from the Waste Management Board. The center is currently operated by Watkins Aircraft Support Products, under a short-term c�ntract. The Counties and other agencies, par�icularly th� Metropalitan Council, have evaluated various individual components of the reeycling system including the recycling center, markets, market de�elopment, transporta- tion, and intermediate processing. There has been a lack of coordination of these pzeces, however, to direct a comprehensive approach to recycling. The proposed project seeks to unify these existing fragments, and determine additional pieces tha� may be needed. There are three companents to the project. First, NSP will evaluate mechanical separation of r�cyclable materials at the Ramsey/Washington Co�nty Resource Recov�ry FaciZity �ocated in Newport. This evaluatian will include types and effectiveness of equipment available to remove glass and aluminwn, produc� characteristics, markets available both �ocally and d�stant, alterna�ive mar�kets, transportation of materials to markets, and the economics of inechanica� separation. NSP wi1� conduct reserach on these topics using in-house staff and consultants retained by NSP.