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218 <br />and further encouraged new or upgraded recycling programs. Mr. Anderson <br />219 <br />provided materials, attached hereto and made apart hereof. <br />220 <br />221 <br />Joel Anderson, Ramsey County <br />222 <br />Mr. Anderson provided an overview of Ramsey County programs in addressing <br />223 <br />this mandate. Mr. Anderson advised that Ramsey County considered that they <br />224 <br />had made the lion's share of efforts that were available to is in its residential <br />225 <br />recycling programs, and were now shifting focus to the commercial side. <br />226 <br />However, Mr. Anderson recognized that the relationship of government with <br />227 <br />business was not always a well-received effort, and therefore, had created the BIZ <br />228 <br />Recycling and Grant Program with a business to business model, with Ramsey <br />229 <br />County working with different consultantsto ct on behalf of Ramsey County and <br />230 <br />explain the process. <br />231 <br />232 Mr. Anderson reviewed the program under a Joint Powers Agreement through <br />233 Washington and Ramsey Counties, launched June 1, 2014 as a recourse recovery <br />234 project. Mr. Anderson reviewed the goals of the Biz Recycling Program, noting <br />235 that Ramsey County was currently recycling 47% to53% , and wanted to reach its <br />236 goal of 75% recycling, as well as promoting job growth and protecting the <br />237 environment. Mr. Anderson advised that this included schools, healthcare <br />238 facilities, institutions, and local businesses recycle more by providing them a <br />239 financial incentive to do so, making the effort through an economic versus <br />240 mandated meth more effective in accomplishing those goals. <br />241 <br />242 Mr. Anderson notek the garbage bills from licensed trash haulers for each <br />243 commercial business in Ramsey County included a County Environmental Charge <br />244 (CEC), at 53% for Ramsey County businesses on top of their garbage bill, and <br />245 based on the amount of trash pruced by those businesses. While many assumed <br />246 that their bill was based on actu tonnage, Mr. Anderson clarified that this is not <br />247 generally true, but most business owners didn't understand how that CEC <br />248 impacted their business costs until explained to them, providing an economic <br />249 incentive to recycle and reduce those costs. Mr. Anderson noted that those <br />250 businesses pay a 17% state tax on those garbage bills in addition to the Ramsey <br />251 County CEC fee. <br />252 <br />253 As part of an initial program to make businesses aware of and encourage <br />254 recycling, Mr. Anderson advised that during 2012-2013, outreach was provided to <br />255 over 1,300 businesses, with consultants working on site with 227 and 120 <br />256 business projects completed. Mr. Anderson noted that this meant over 8 million <br />257 pounds of recyclables and organic waste had been diverted per year as a result of <br />258 those efforts. To -date, Mr. Anderson advised that 42 grants had been issued, with <br />259 funds in the amount of $196,000 distributed, having a total impact of $283,000. <br />260 <br />261 Mr. Anderson provided examples of some of those success stories, including <br />262 Concordia University, Warners' Stellian, as well as smaller businesses (e.g. hair <br />263 salons capturing plastic bottles). <br />Page 6 of 16 <br />