Like us, follow us, share us – interact with Hennepin Environment on social media
|
Keep up with the latest environmental news from Hennepin County Environmental Services by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
|
|
 |
 Pre-order Choose to Reuse Today coupon books
During October and November, Hennepin County will be encouraging residents to shop reuse by offering coupons for discounts at local reuse retailers. Reuse is good for the environment, stimulates the local economy and saves money.
Coupon books can be pre-ordered by filling out the online order form. In late September, coupon books will be available at participating retailers, Hennepin County Service Centers and Libraries, and Three Rivers Park District locations. They will also be available to download from the Choose to Reuse website.
 |
|
Updated Lake Minnetonka maps available
Updated Lake Minnetonka maps are now available. The Lake Minnetonka map includes the locations of public accesses, on-lake marinas and facilities, restaurants, beaches, shoreline fishing areas, quiet water areas and more. The map also includes important boating rules and regulations, information about preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species, and a guide to understanding waterway markers and buoys.
Boaters can pick up a free copy of the map at the Sheriff Water Patrol on Spring Park Bay, by filling out the online order form, or by calling the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District at 952-745-0789 or Hennepin County Environmental Services at 612-348-4168. |
Hennepin Energy Recovery Center receives national waste-to-energy excellence award
The Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) has been awarded a Waste-to-Energy Excellence Award at the Gold level from the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). SWANA’s Excellence Awards Program recognizes outstanding solid waste programs and facilities that advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound solid waste management.
Hennepin to fund cleanup of future Mississippi riverfront park and trail site
On August 5, the Hennepin County Board approved an agreement with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board for cleanup of contaminated soil and fill materials at the former Scherer Brothers Lumber Company site in Minneapolis. The park board plans to clean up and redevelop a portion of the site as a Mississippi riverfront park and trail. Learn more about the redevelopment plans.
The cleanup will be funded with $1 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) funds that the county received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The site also received a $346,000 grants from the Environmental Response Fund earlier this year.
Cleanup will include demolishing existing buildings and removing soil contaminated with lead, arsenic, mercury, petroleum and other hazardous compounds. The cleanup is expected to be completed this fall. Read more in the Star Tribune.
A look at the demographics of the business hazardous waste generators in Hennepin County
Hennepin County currently licenses about 5,000 businesses that generate hazardous waste. The majority of those generators – 93 percent – are either minimal or very small quantity generators, which generate less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste a month.
The county licenses businesses from a wide variety of industries. Healthcare facilities and pharmacies make up 25 percent of licensed generators, and businesses in the automotive sales, service and repair industry represents about 15 percent of all licensed generators in the county. Other industries with licensed businesses include dry cleaners, gas stations, machine shops, metal finishers, plumbing and heating contractors, printers, local government entities and schools.
A more detailed profile of the licensed generator population, along with a summary of enforcement outcomes, highlight of businesses with no violations and more is available in the Hazardous Waste Generator Newsletter. New ordinance requires businesses in Minneapolis to recycle
A new City of Minneapolis ordinance taking effect on September 1 will require all businesses in Minneapolis recycle paper, cardboard, metal cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles and jars.
Hennepin County has technical assistance and educational resources available at www.hennepin.us/businesswaste. A simple, step-by-step guide to setting up a new recycling system is available at RethinkRecycling.com/business. Property owners with questions about this new recycling requirement can call the City of Minneapolis at 311 or 612-673-3000. Grants and project support available
Field trip transportation and environmental education project support available to youth groups
Apply to receive free bus transportation for one field trip, activity resources and environmental education training. Projects must engage at least 30 youth grades 5 and up participating in an out-of-school-time program.
Grants awarded for waste reduction education projects
Hennepin County and the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board have awarded grants to six organizations for waste reduction education projects through the Community POWER (Partners on Waste Education and Reduction) program. Community POWER funds non-environmental organizations and schools to carry out innovative, community-based projects related to waste and toxicity reduction.
The organizations receiving funding this year are:
- Armatage Montessori School
- Brooklyn Center School District #286
- Kaleidoscope Place
- Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association
- Nawayee Center School
- Shiloh Temple Ministries
Grants awarded for innovative recycling and composting projects
The Hennepin County Board has awarded nine grants totaling $150,000 for innovative recycling and waste reduction projects through the Waste Abatement Incentive Fund.
Six of the awards will be used to establish programs to separate organic waste for composting at the following schools:
- Anoka-Hennepin Schools ISD 011
- Children’s Workshop Montessori School in Plymouth
- Elk River Area Schools ISD 728
- Minneapolis Public Schools ISD 1
- Ramalynn Montessori School in Bloomington
- Westonka Public Schools
The remaining awards will go to the following cities:
- City of Minneapolis to establish an organic waste recycling program at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
- City of Plymouth to reinvigorate recycling education and outreach for residents and managers of multifamily properties.
- City of Shorewood for a pilot organics recycling program in 500 homes.
In the News
One-sort recycling pilot kicks off in Minneapolis
About 1,000 households in the Willard-Hay and East Calhoun neighborhoods of Minneapolis will be able to put all their recycling into one cart during a pilot project that started in August. The results of the pilot program, along with the results of a two-sort recycling pilot underway in the Seward neighborhood, will be presented to the Minneapolis City Council for consideration in future recycling operations. Hennepin County has provided technical assistance and the education materials for the project. Read more in the Star Tribune.
Talking trash on MPR
On August 12, Angie Timmons from Hennepin County Environmental Services and Ginny Black from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency answered listener questions about recycling, composting and trash. Listen to a replay at MPR. Events
Medicine collection events
 |
|
Medicine collection events will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 24 in St. Louis Park and Saturday, October 8 in Orono.
|
Household hazardous waste collection event in Shorewood
|
A household hazardous waste collection event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, September 15 to 17 at the Shorewood Public Works Facility.
|
|
 |
Networking meeting for congregations on energy efficiency and auditing energy use
September 8 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Brooklyn United Methodist Church, 7200 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Center
Learn and share ways to increase your congregation’s energy efficiency and about resources available to audit energy use at the next networking meeting for congregations.
Learn about motivating sustainable behavior change at Green Drinks
September 14 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Midtown Global Market
Angie Timmons, an environmental educator with Hennepin County, will be sharing tried and true tricks, tools and resources to successfully motivate sustainable behavior change. Learn more about Green Drinks.
Photo display of the Wetland Health Evaluation Program at the Central Library
Throughout September, photos of volunteers and wetland plants and animals will be on display in the lobby of the Hennepin County Central Library in Minneapolis. Library visitors will learn more volunteering through the Wetland Health Evaluation Program, in which volunteers collect organisms and survey vegetation in order to assess the health of wetlands in the county.
|
|
 |
Green Tip
Resources available for implementing and improving school recycling programs
 Are you working in or with a school that wants to kick off a new or improved recycling program this school year? If so, there are numerous resources available to help schools meet their recycling goals.
|
