04/27/95 Agenda & Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • liiill Department of Public Health Division of Solid Waste ElkZack Hansen,Manager 1670 Beam Avenue,Suite B Tel:612-7734444 RAMSEY COUNTY Maplewood,MN 55109-1129 Fax:612-773-4454 March 30 , 1995 Ms . Mary Saarion City of Mounds View Parks Director 2401 Highway 10 Mounds View, MN 55112-1499 Dear Ms . Sarrien, You had recently requested a letter discussing issues associated with the concept of sorting through waste collected in City Parks containers to recover aluminum cans for recycling. I would like to set the stage for the issues the City should consider by describing the issues we have identified and the training Ramsey County staff undergo to avoid hazards while examining waste generated by business 411 and institutions . The Ramsey County Commercial Waste Reduction and Recycling Program provides a waste assessment service to businesses and institutions in • the County. Part of this service usually involves examining and sorting through waste materials in recectacles throughout the business and in the dumpster. Division staff, with assistance from the Ramsey Coun--i Office of Risk Management, invested a great deal of effort in cra = ng a safety training program and protocols for this service. Many hazards of examining, sorting, or otherwise. handling waste materials were identified, including: • sharp objects (needles , broken glass , wood splinters , metal shards , nails , etc . ) or breakable items that could cause injury ( glass , ceramic, etc. ) ; • containers of hazardous waste or materials , whether from a household or business source, including flammable solvents and other flammable substances , explosives, acids and other corrosives , poisons such as pesticides or herbicides , reactive materials that exclode u^on contact with water, etc . ; • aerosol cans which, with improper handling, can explode or release contents ; a particular danger when the can' s presence is not recognized; cans containing dangerous household chemicals or unknown materials are a serious hazard; release into the face or eyes is a serious concern; • infectious materials , including diapers , used syringes , bandages , blood-soaked or blood-stained materials , and other III materials with infectious body fluids, such as facial tissues and condoms (blood-borne, serum-borne, and fecal-borne illnesses are a particular concern with these types of waste ) • dead animals ; , • bees and other stinging insects ( in the warmer months ) ; • dust, powders , and other airborne :articles , including the