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years to develop recyclable and yard waste collection in solid waste management that will take us away from services,already available in many communities. landfills to an emphasis on other methods," she said. • Such a law would provide opportunities for private As a part of her initiative on solid waste, Gardebring put entrepreneurs as well as obligations for local governments. together a team of Council staff people,to provide technical Solid waste collection services would no longer be confined assistance and advice for resource recovery and recycling :to pickup of mixed trash but expanded to include.separated efforts,and to administer grants and loans to support them materials. New processing plants would be needed to —the solid waste assistance team.The purpose of the team receive the recyclables,clean and prepare them for sale, is to accelerate the development of projects and programs and ship them to industrial buyers. to decrease the amount of waste going to metropolitan area landfills. Yard wastes not used by generators to fertilize home gardens and lawns would go to composting facilities, to be The team will provide technical and planning help to efficiently managed by large-capacity equipment.A variety counties,cities and other groups,using methods modified of uses for the resulting compost product—nurseries, to meet the needs of the agency or organization. public works construction projects—are possible. Initially,the team will focus on efforts to divert recyclable The solid waste management system the Council wants the materials and yard wastes from landfills through recycling Metropolitan Area to adopt would cost the individual programs,mulching and composting. "Hands-on"technical household more than the current landfill-based system— assistance will be given to groups requesting help at the estimates of yearly bills run as high as double the present times and places that it's needed.Assistance activities will amount. But the avoided unpleasant—and often expensive include evaluating alternative waste recovery methods —consequences of landfills and the benefits of recovering under consideration by a group and developing strategies to resources from wastes may offset the increase in the modest promote programs to policymakers and the general public. price we pay to dispose of one ton of trash per household yearly. The solid waste assistance team will also provide informa- tion about various waste reuse and recovery techniques. Members plan to get involved in abatement projects already TEAM TO HELP WASTE REUSE AND going on around the region,and serve as a clearinghouse for RECOVERY EFFORTS GET STARTED groups that want to know more about these programs. Team members are now gathering materials on the technical Last July,Metropolitan Council Chair Sandra Gardebring aspects of alternatives to landfills and touring solid waste • announced a new initiative in solid waste management. facilities in the Twin Cities Area.Near the end of the year She set a timetable for action to develop new ways of the team will be prepared to provide assistance. handling the area's trash—it's an issue Gardebring insists the Council work through in the near future."I want the For more information about the solid waste assistance Council to be out in front as we identify a new direction team,contact Katy Boone,team leader,'at 291-6421. Printed on recycled paper 3