2013-01-22_PWETC_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Chapter II: Ramsey County Policies and Strategies Overarching Policies Overarching Policy 1: Product Stewardship Ramsey County strongly supports a product- stewardship framework, also known as extended producer responsibility, which creates effective producer -led reduction, reuse and recycling programs, to address a product's lifecycle impacts from design through end -of -life management, without relying solely on state and local governments. Product stewardship has historically focused on products with a toxic or hazardous character, but should be focused broadly on other products, such as packaging. Such an approach can reduce the need for government programs to assure proper end -of -life management of discarded items. Ramsey County believes that the objectives in the Policy Plan are more likely to be met and sustained in an affordable manner only if a product- stewardship framework is implemented in Minnesota. Overarching Policy 2: Objectives and Measurement Minnesota spends a considerable amount of time and money to measure progress in solid -waste management. A recently completed analysis of data by the MPCA documents the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of these efforts. Ramsey County believes strongly in measuring performance of the system, but in a meaningful manner. Ramsey County urges the MPCA to fully implement changes in data gathering and evaluation that are more efficient and that will truly assist in meeting objectives. Further, the County believes that moving to a measurement system that focuses on a diversion goal from landfills would be a more sensible approach to performance measurement. Overarching Policy 3: Credit for Yard Waste Ramsey County provides convenient and effective services for residents to manage yard waste, including woody waste, and complies with the State ban on yard waste. While expensive, these services are extremely important in a fully urbanized County, and are an efficient way for residents to comply with State law, practice environmentally sound behavior, and engage in community. As the new Policy Plan moves the system more strongly into separate management of organic waste, the value of yard waste is changing significantly. The yard waste collected by Ramsey County will now be an important component of the solid -waste system, with leaves and grass serving as bulking agents for composting other organics. Further, the woody wastes collected serve as a renewable energy source, supporting the movement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ramsey County believes that yard waste should be included in the State's performance measures associated with the solid -waste system and will work with the MPCA and the SWMCB to include yard waste in future performance measures so as to better reflect overall organics diversion activity within the region and the county, and to improve the ability of both to compare its progress to other areas across the country. Ramsey County Solid Waste Master Plan 2011 -2030 Page 17 Approved by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners on 3120112