Agenda - Council - 09/26/2023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5. 24. CC Regular Session Meeting Date: 09/26/2023 PrimaryStrategic Plan Initiative: Identify and implement operational efficiencies, cost savings and additional g funding sources. Information Title - Please Note: this Consent case was moved to the regular agenda -Case 7.5. Purpose/Background: Each year, Anoka County receives funding from the State of Minnesota pursuant to Minnesota Statute § 115A.557. The County distributes these funds, known as SCORE (Select Committee On Recycling and the Environment) funds, to municipalities within the county. In 2024, the allocation includes a base of $10,000 plus $5.00 per household. Ramsey's base allocation for 2024 is up to $59,625. There are also additional grant funding categories that include: (1) Drop-off, (2) General Enhancement, (3) Organics, (4) Supplemental Funding (to help support waste abatement programs or program development), and (5) Labor and Staffing. The funding is intended to help municipalities achieve their recycling goals as established by the Anoka County Board of Commissioners. Ramsey's 2024 recycling goal, established by Anoka County, is 3,100 tons. The goal is based on 225 pounds per person (single family households, up to four [4] units) and 150 pounds per person for multi -tenant households (five [5] or more units). The City of Ramsey has traditionally used these funds to promote recycling and waste reduction education and awareness, notifying new residents of the recycling program components, to offset costs of the spring and fall recycling day events and other collection events/opportunities, and to fund the recycling coordinator position, whose duties are a component of the Senior Planner position. To receive the SCORE funding, each municipality must enter into an agreement with Anoka County that outlines required components of a municipality's recycling program. These required components include providing households with an opportunity to recycle at least four (4) broad types of materials, a public information program, recycling drop-off opportunities, and notifying new residents of the recycling program. Furthermore, municipalities are encouraged, but not required, to look at opportunities to expand their recycling program by offering additional drop-off events, enhancing recycling at community events, enhancing multi -family recycling opportunities, and/or developing opportunities for source separated organics collection. Observations/Alternatives: Ramsey's tonnage goal for 2024 is 3,100 tons, which represents an increase of 125 tons compared to the 2023 goal. The increase is not surprising. Since 2019, tonnage goals have generally increased year over year, with the exception of 2021 to 2022, when it remained static at 2,858 tons. The generally steady increase in tonnage goals over the past several years reflects the County's attempt to achieve the very optimistic benchmark goal, set by the state of Minnesota, of recycling 75% of total solid waste generated (by weight) by 2030. There have been growing challenges related to recycling over the past several years. First, China implemented very restrictive thresholds for contaminants in bales of recycled materials, which significantly impacted exporting recyclables overseas. Secondly, the fluctuations in the recycling markets have also brought into question what is truly recyclable. At this time, items such as black plastic frozen dinner trays, freezer boxes, and fiber egg cartons, should not be put in the recycling cart as there is no longer a market for these materials (this is a change from past years).