Agenda Packets - 1989/02/21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mandatory Source Separation Policy Statement: A mandatory source separation ordinance will be enacted for cities who fail to meet their source separation goal for 1990 and thereafter. These goalsare sWshownaste Nonaoemen35 of the 1987 RamseyCounty HU r � This policy is consistent with the current policy as desgribed in the Solid Haste Master Plan. The Master Plan states "the year 1990 will be used as the deadline for cities his to showas set stantial progress toward meeting their g time for establishing ve programs and dem-nstrating whether voluntary participation will achieve goals. It is important to allow the cities tine and flexibility to develop their programs so that they can find the combination that works best for them. The goals for each c;t are shown in Attachment 1. Experience with over 500 programs nationwide indicates that there are five factors which increase participation in curbside recy- cling programs. These are: 1) convenient collection schedules; 2) household recycling containers; 3) continuous public education effortsi 4) economic incentives; and 5) mandatory source separation ordinances. Evidence shows that cities with mandatory programs, but without convenient collections and a strong public education program, will not achieve acceptable participation levels. Public education is important for both voluntary and mandatory programs. When a mandatory ordinance is adopted, a strong public education program must also be implemented. If people are expected to cooperate, then they must be informed as to reasons for the ordinance and the penalties associated with it. Even with an aggressive educational effort, however, some type of enforcement must to conducted or results will be nominal. Afier careful examination, Ramsey County staff have concluded that the ability to enforce a mandatory source separation ordinance is very limited without organized or municipal garbage collection. At this time, there are no municipal collections in Ramsey ed collection. Thisand less nis0$one ofof theprimaryulation lreasonsethat organized opportunity to Ramsey County has adopted the policy on the Opp Y , Recycle (see above) in addition to a mandatory source separation policy. Note that organized garbage collection could be p an integrated waste management system which would enfo cement number of other benefits. In addition to facilitating nt systerr, would allow the costs of a mandatoraof recycling nce, an gand e�conpostingtoe bepartially paid by avoided disposal costs. These avoided disposal costs occur because waste haulers do not pay disposal fees on the wastes that are recycled and composted. An integratedincreased stem would also provide direct cost savings by the a collection routes efficiency associated with organizing garbage ano many other benefits. 6