Agenda Packets - 1989/02/21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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relatively large amount of space they take up on collection vehicles. The City of San Jose, California is working with a company to to design a portable crusher/shredder for plastic containers that could be used on collection vehicles. San Jose 41 staff have concluded that, until this equipment is available, curbside plastic container collection is not feasible. Ramsey County staff will monitor the progress of these and similar efforts. There is currently a crisis in marketing tin cans, which has been caused by the loss of a local market for this material. It appears that Super Cycle may be able to resolve this problem by baling the cans and shipping directly to markets in other states. It is unknown at this time whether Super Cycle will be successful in this effort or not, and if they are successful; how much they will be able to help other companies market tin cans. Super Cycle has taken tin cans from some of the other curbside collection companies so that the others have been able to continue taking these cans. Bence, the situation appears to be sufficiently optimistic that tin cans can continue to be collected curbside for the foreoeeable future. There is als•• a marketing problem that has developed with paper. In the past, Ramsey County and others have encouraged people to set out all types of paper for recycling. People have been told to include junk mail, other non -glossy paper, and phone books with their newspaper. They have also been told to include 12-pack cartons, paper towel and other rolls, and cereal boxes with their cardboard. As the quantity of paper collected for recycling has ® increased, however, what once was viewed as acceptable has become a significant level of contamination. Contamination problems with these sorts of paper include the glue used to bind phone books, windows in envelopes, new types of non -recyclable packaging such as microwave boxes, and increased amounts of compk,site packaging which uses mixtures of plastic and other non- recyclahles with paper. As paper contamination problems have grown, a number of companies have requested Ramsey County's assistance in limiting this contamination in both newspaper and cardboard collected for recycling. Bence, Ramsey County will be making an effort in the future to encourage people to set out clean newspaper and clean cardboard) that is, not to mix in the other types of paper which are creating problems for the end -markets. Unfortunately, this means that 'mixed paper' from residential sources is not recyclable at this time; effectively reducing the amount of potential recyclables in the residential. waste stream. B. Yard Waste Progre—, Yard waste will be abated b both the residential and commercial sectors. Although most of the yard waste is generated by the residential sector in Ramsey County, there is a significant amount generated by commercial/industrial estaolishments and 15