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Fact Sheet What is Public Collection <br />Local Responsibility and Authority <br />Cities, townships and counties are charged by the State of Minnesota with protecting public <br />11th, safety and welfare, and protecting the environment. Garbage collection is a necessary <br />.olic service to assure those charges, much as proper handling of sewage, provision of safe <br />drinking water, providing safe roads, and fire and police protection services. Some local <br />governments have decided just to license and regulate private companies that provide collection <br />services. Others have decided that it is in the best interest of residents and businesses to have the <br />local government provide or arrange for the service. Local governments have legal authority <br />granted by the State of Minnesota to provide the service directly. If Ramsey and Washington <br />Counties decided to pursue public collection, they would do so under such authority. <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />What are the Potential Benefits of Public Collection? <br />How waste is handled can have a big impact on public health and safety and the environment. <br />Potential benefits of public collection are: <br />a Health, Safety, Environment: Counties are required by law to plan and put in place systems to <br />make sure waste created by residents and businesses is handled safely. Both Ramsey and <br />Washington Counties have solid waste plans. These plans have been approved by the State of <br />Minnesota. The Counties may not be able to reach the goals in these plans if changes are not <br />made to the waste management system. The Counties are exploring whether public collection <br />could help reach environmental and health goals, including eliminating illegal dumping and <br />open burning of trash. <br />rA Cost to consumers: Costs to customers in a public collection program can be lower than in an <br />pen collection program. Costs can be better charged to those who create the waste based on the <br />volume of waste they produce. <br />Traffic related issues: Fewer garbage trucks might go down streets and alleys. This means less <br />traffic, less noise, and lower road maintenance costs. Less truck traffic also means less air <br />pollution from the truck exhaust and less fuel used to collect wastes. <br />a Risk related issues: Taxpayers can face long -term costs that don't show up on the garbage bill. <br />Costs like cleaning up old landfills. How trash is handled can make a difference in whether <br />there will be hidden costs in the future. <br />0 Proper management of waste: In a public collection system waste can be taken to facilities <br />and with management methods most appropriate for that waste. Food waste and yard waste can <br />go to composting, recyclables to markets, household hazardous waste for proper recycling or <br />management, burnable waste to waste -to- energy, and the rest to landfills. <br />What Would Public Collection Look Like in Ramsey and Washington <br />Counties? <br />The Counties have a number of options they could pursue. Choices that would be made if the <br />Counties decided to proceed include: <br />a Would public collection serve residents or businesses, or both? <br />a What wastes should be included — garbage, recyclables, yard waste, food waste, household <br />azardous waste, bulky items? <br />o Should there be more than one hauler in a service area? <br />1 tp: / /www.co.ramsey.mn.us /recovery /fact_ sheet_ what is_ public_collec.htm 1/18/02 <br />