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I thought that a city who is concerned with public issues and <br />environmental issues would be interested in this matter. If you <br />would like to talk to me about this in greater detail, please <br />feel free to call me or visit to see the whole story. <br />I find it hard to believe that in this day and age when we should <br />be concerned with environmental issues such as recycling, <br />landfill usage, etc., a city would have an ordinance prohibiting <br />the usage of a composting area for organic food/kitchen debris. <br />Incidentally, I do not compost this material because I do not <br />have a garbage service. I recycle metal, paper and glass but I <br />still have a garbage service to dispose of non -recyclable <br />plastics paper, etc. I will just have to put the organic matter <br />from my kitchen into the normal garbage from now on. This <br />strikes me as being a waste. This also brings up another <br />subject. I do not like to throw organic wastes into the garbage <br />can as it creates such an odor in one weeks time. My wife wants <br />= tc get a garbage disposal like hundreds of other families have <br />to dispose of this vegetable matter. That a wanie of xasoarcas! <br />I could be composting this matter a no cost to anyone and with a <br />minimum of environmental impact. Instead I will be washing it <br />into the Mississippi river! Seems like a waste doesn't it? <br />Notice that the ordinance states in section 104.02 that it is <br />unlawful to fail to dispose of garbage and rubbish (definitions <br />at top of page) in a sanitary manner. I feel that the way I was <br />disposing of this is very sanitary. The community service <br />officer informed that in his opinion, it was not. Who decides <br />what is sanitary and what is not? <br />If there is a proven health hazard to the method thct I used to <br />dispose of compostable matter, I would be the last one to try to <br />continue to do this. However, I would be willing to bet there is <br />more of a health hazard in my neighbors yard than in my compost <br />heap. (My neighbor rarely cleans up after her dog.) <br />I think that the ordinance either needs to be changicd to allow <br />composting of this organic matter, or expanded on to include a <br />specific deTiniti.on of what "disposal in a sanitary manner" <br />actually is. <br />I have sent a letter similar to this one to the Minnesota Public <br />Interest Research Interest Group as well, since they often .,ork <br />on Environmentally related issues as well. Copies have also been <br />sent to all city council members. <br />Thanks for taking the time to read this letter, and let me know <br />if I can give you some additional information. I am expecting <br />some response from you. <br />Sincerely, <br />Tom L. Kosel <br />