Master Recycler/Composter update

Master/Recycler Composter banner

WINTER 2016


CONTACT

Carolyn Collopy, Master Recycler/Composter Coordinator

Email
612-596-0993


IN THIS ISSUE


IMPORTANT LINKS

MRC program 

Hours reporting form

MRC Facebook group

MRC files


THANKS!

Thank you for your continued efforts to help Hennepin County reduce waste and recycle more! We’re glad you’re part of our outreach and education team!


Organics recycling update: some items no longer accepted

In November, Minnesota composting facility representatives informed city and county metro staff that there are items they no longer accept the following items for composting at their facilities.

 

Dryer lint

The compost facilities have found that dryer lint often contains high levels of synthetic material. Place dryer lint and dryer sheets in the garbage. 

 

Plastic-lined paper products that are not certified compostable

These items leave micro-plastics in the soil that is then transported and used all around the state, potentially having a harmful impact on our ecosystem if gone unchecked. Plastic-lined paper products that are not accepted include:

  • Chinese food containers
  • Ice cream tubs
  • Butter wrappers
  • Hot beverage paper cups (coffee cups)
  • To-go containers
  • Colored paper plates or paper plates with designs on them
  • Fast food wrappers
  • Butcher paper/wrap
  • Paper boats, often used at ball-games, food trucks and fairs

All paper cups, plates, boats and to-go containers with a lining must be BPI or Cedar Grove certified compostable to be accepted in organics recycling. You can verify if an item is certified compostable by seeing if the item is listed in BPI's Certified Compostable Product Catalog.

See the organics recycling guide to learn more about what materials are and are not accepted in organics recycling programs.


Payback hours and newly certified MRCs

Reporting your payback hours

MRCs have reported more than 5,000 hours volunteering in their communities since 2011, including 1,041 hours logged in 2015.

Working on your payback? Many of you are doing great things in your communities to further waste reduction in Hennepin County (thank you!) but have not reported any hours. Please use our online form to report your hours or email carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us an update of what you are up to, and we’ll take care of the rest.

 

14 more certified MRCs!

Congratulations to the following MRCs on completing their payback hours:

  • Andrea Hills (spring 2013) helped at several low-waste events, diverted food waste for the Food Group at the Minneapolis Farmers Market and educated residents at Minneapolis organics drop-off sites.
  • Andrea Humphrey (fall 2012) completed her payback hours sewing and mending items at Fix-It Clinics.
  • Anna Dennis (spring 2015) helped at several low-waste events including the Hopkins Raspberry Festival and the YWCA Triathlon and educated residents at a Minneapolis organics recycling drop-off site.  
  • Charles Barnes (spring 2015) educated residents and diverted waste at several events, including the Hawthorne Ecovillage Green Fair, the State Fair and the Battle of the Badges BBQ.
  • Deb Stepanek (spring 2015) educated residents and diverted waste at several events, including the Hawthorne Ecovillage Green Fair, the State Fair and the Plate to Garden Compost Sale.
  • Dorothy Sinha (fall 2014) helped at several low-waste events and educated residents on waste diversion.
  • Eric Holmgren (spring 2013) designed a website to help residents adopt recycling containers in public places. 
  • Janet Arntsen (fall 2014) coordinated a used book sale, spoke to fair goers about waste diversion and helped improve the recycling at a local Loaves and Fishes kitchen.
  • Jeffrey Grosscup (fall 2014) assisted at several low-waste events and Fix-It Clinics and helped recover food waste for the Food Group at the Minneapolis Farmers Market.
  • Joseph Selton (spring 2015) educated residents and diverted waste at several events and helped with an electronics recycling collection.
  • Karen Carter (fall 2013) coordinated low-waste events and helped mend clothing at Fix-It Clinics.
  • Karen Grimm (fall 2014) built a new recycling/compost collection center for her workplace with found materials and leftover paint and volunteered at many Fix-It Clinics.
  • ReNae Bowman (spring 2015) educated residents and diverted waste at several events and helped with an electronics recycling collection.
  • Robert Rossi (fall 2014) helped fix electronics at Fix-It Clinics.

Two more MRCs have reported volunteering more than 100 hours. Jay Daun (spring 2011) has contributed 133 hours and Greta Rittenhouse (fall 2011) has contributed 113 hours. Both are regulars at the county’s Fix-It Clinics.

 

Learn about payback opportunities

Hennepin County and many of our partners are often looking for MRCs to assist with outreach and waste management at events and for special projects.

There are two ways to be notified of payback opportunities:


New Green Disposal Guide tells you the best way to get rid of your stuff

Yard waste, mattresses, paint or fluorescent light bulbs — some stuff just needs to go. Hennepin County has done the heavy lifting with the new online resource, the Green Disposal Guide. The new Green Disposal Guide, which replaces the county’s A to Z guide, offers a range of disposal options - from recycling to donation to disposal - while also providing tips on shopping smarter, living greener and creating less waste.

Green Disposal Guide

Tell your friends: registration is open for the spring 2016 MRC course

Registration is now open for the spring 2016 MRC course. The course will be held on Tuesday evenings, March 8 through April 12, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Center for Changing Lives, 2400 Park Ave S in Minneapolis.

Pass along the course information to any friends or family members who may be interested. They can learn more and register at www.hennepin.us/masterrecyclers.


New and updated literature available

To help partners educate others about environmental issues, Hennepin County provides factsheets, brochures and handouts covering a wide variety of environmental topics at no charge. The following pieces have been recently created or updated and can be ordered through the literature order form.

 

New: How to identify and reduce hazardous chemicals in your home

The new How to identify and reduce hazardous chemicals in your home brochure contains information on signal words to look for on labels, hazard levels of common household products, safe storage and disposal tips, and simple steps to reduce hazardous chemicals in the home.

 

How to identify and reduce hazardous chemicals

New: Green Cleaning Recipes in English and Spanish

Green Cleaning Recipes

The new Green Cleaning Recipes brochure in English and Spanish contains recipes for making your own cleaning products with simple, less-toxic ingredients to use throughout your home.

 

New: Residential recycling, organics and trash labels

Well-labeled bins helps everyone know how to sort their recycling and trash. Color-coded signs for recycling, organics and trash are now available for households. Order some for your home and to give to others

 

Residential waste labels

Updated: Reducing waste and recycling during your move

Waste reduction and recycling for your move

The updated Reducing waste and recycling during your move factsheet provides tips and resources for reducing, reusing, recycling and disposing of a wide variety of materials people commonly need to deal with when moving. Tips for being green when packing and moving in are also included.

 

Updated: Battery recycling factsheet

Battery recycling brochure

The updated battery recycling brochure provides information for battery recycling including preparation and battery drop-off locations in the county.

 


Payback opportunities

Fix-It Clinics

Fix-It Clinics are a fun and inspiring way to earn payback hours. MRCs are needed to help with electrical, mechanical or electronics repair, wood working, sewing and greeting attendees. For more information or to volunteer, contact Nancy Lo at nancy.lo@hennepin.us or 612-348-9195.

Fix-It Clinics


Upcoming Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:

  • Saturday, March 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners in Plymouth
  • Saturday, April 23 from noon to 4 p.m. at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rec Center in Minneapolis
  • Saturday, May 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Gramercy Park Cooperative in Richfield

 

Minneapolis organics recycling outreach

More than 35,000 households have now signed up to participate in the Minneapolis curbside organics recycling program. Earn payback hours by helping the City of Minneapolis educate residents on what goes in the organics bin and recruit additional households in your neighborhood to participate. Contact Kellie Kish, at 612-673-3536 or kellie.kish@minneapolismn.gov for more information.

Minneapolis organics