Title
Establishing solid waste diversion goals for the City of Saint Paul.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul (the City) is committed to protecting the environment and public health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving energy and natural resources; and
WHEREAS, the City is committed to opportunities to make Saint Paul one of the most sustainable cities in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Minnesotans produce, on average, more than one ton of garbage per person each year - more than 6 million tons annually, a substantial amount of which is placed into landfills or incinerated, resulting in wasted resources; and
WHEREAS, in the last ten years, mixed municipal solid waste (MMSW) generation has grown by 8 (eight) percent and recycling rates have remained essentially flat; and
WHEREAS, the largest segments of materials still remaining in the MMSW stream are Organics (primarily food waste & wood) 31% and Paper (both recyclable and compostable) 24.5% ; and
WHEREAS, the State of Minnesota has established source reduction, recycling and organics recovery targets of:
· 1-2% by 2015 and 4-6% by 2030 for source reduction;
· 45-48% by 2015 and 53-60% by 2030 for recycling; and
· 3-6% by 2015 and 9-15% by 2030 for organics diversion.
WHEREAS, local governments in Minnesota are held responsible by the State for waste management outcomes, including assuring recycling opportunities, regulating and enforcing solid and hazardous waste laws, hazardous waste collection, and other costly waste management programs; and
WHEREAS, Ramsey County has established hazardous waste collection and commercial recycling support systems, while residential waste reduction and recycling program management responsibilities fall upon municipal governments; and
WHEREAS, Ramsey County sets reporting requirements and recycling program guidelines and supports municipal programs with Select Committee on Recycling for the Environmen...
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