 Success Stories:
Floral Business Trims Trash Costs
Because Saint Paul Floral produces a large amount of organic waste from flower trimmings, the florist’s owner, Gini Perry, contacted BizRecycling and their associates to begin organics collection. Gini received a BizRecycling Grant that covered all of the costs to begin organics collection, and now Saint Paul Floral diverts about 17,000 pounds of organic waste from landfills. Not only that, but the florist is saving about $3,400 in hauling costs every year. It’s a win-win for Saint Paul Floral and the environment! BizRecycling is a program of the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Board.
Recycling Campaign Wins Award
The
Ramsey
Recycles campaign received the first place Northern Lights Award on
Thursday, May 19th from the Minnesota Association of Government
Communicators (MACG) in the category of Public Information Project. Ramsey
County launched the Ramsey Recycles campaign to increase awareness, provide
education, and engage the community on recycling. The campaign includes ads on
bus sides, billboards, shelters, print, radio, television, video, and more, and
features local residents from diverse communities and ages. MAGC is a peer
organization of communications professionals who are dedicated to improving
public-sector communications.
News You Can Use:
Managing Pesticides Safely
Did you know that pesticides have a shelf life? Manufacturers generally recommend storing pesticides no longer than two years. As you clean out your garage, bring any expired pesticides to a Ramsey County household hazardous waste collection site. It’s free!
Learn more about managing pesticides from the University of Illinois Extension.
Hazardous Waste Inspections: Reducing the
Risk
What do you think of when you hear the words “hazardous
waste generator” – men in moon suits or acres of drums? What about your
dentist, mechanic or child’s school?
These are just a few examples of the 1,800+
companies licensed by Environmental Health for hazardous waste generation.
Typical waste includes oil-based paints, cleaning solvents, used oil, car
batteries, and fluorescent lamps; nothing too far out or uncommon. We also
license 14 hazardous waste facilities; businesses that treat, store, dispose of,
or recycle other companies’ hazardous waste, keeping our five inspectors busy!
Free
Organics Recycling Starter Kits
Ramsey County is again offering free organics recycling starter
kits to residents. They include a small bin with locking cover, compostable
bags, step-by-step instructions and reminder magnets.
Kits will be available mid-July for pick up at
the Ramsey County yard
waste sites (except Arden Hills) during normal site hours; just
ask a site monitor about the kits. Residents can also participate in an
organics recycling loyalty program to earn a free t-shirt.
The Problem with Plastic Bags
Americans use 100 billion plastic bags every year, but many of those are not
recycled. Recycle plastic bags at your local grocery or retail stores. Do not put
them in your curbside recycling cart since they cause problems at recycling
centers. Also,choose
reusable bags when you can! For a free reusable bag, contact us at 651-266-1199 or AskEH@co.ramsey.mn.us.
County-Owned
Recycling & Energy Center
On December 31, 2015, the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Board,
formally known as the Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Board, took a
significant step towards improving the environment and achieving their common
vision of increasing recycling and gaining the most value out of trash by
purchasing the Resource Recovery Technologies Facility. The facility, now named the Recycling &
Energy Center (R&E Center), shreds waste to create fuel for energy.
Owning the R&E Center opens the door for continued and
new environmentally friendly waste management opportunities, including managing
trash as a resource. To help reach Minnesota’s goal of 75% recycling by 2030,
the R&E Board plans on investing in a sophisticated, new sorting mechanism
at the R&E Center, called mixed-waste processing. This system allows for
food waste and high-value recyclables to be sorted out of the trash received at
the R&E Center. The organic waste would then be available for anaerobic
digestion or composting, creating biofuels and compost. If implemented,
mixed-waste processing will create new jobs at the facility.
An important next step in the future of resource
management in the East Metro is the completion of a waste designation plan.
Under the law the counties can direct trash to be delivered to a processing
facility. The counties are preparing a designation plan to be submitted for
state approval. Updates about this process can be found by visiting
www.morevaluelesstrash.com.
Ramsey
County, working jointly with Washington County, is taking the next step in
resource management since its purchase of
the Recycling and Energy Center in Newport. As planned, the two counties are
moving forward to plan for and implement waste designation. Waste designation
is a term used in Minnesota law that permits the counties to enact an ordinance
(regulatory tool) requiring all or a portion
of solid waste to be delivered to a designated waste management facility. Sometimes called “flow control,” waste designation can be put into place after
a thorough planning process is approved by the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency. An amendment to the county’s
solid waste master plan, and a joint designation plan,
are available for comment at www.morevaluelesstrash.com
(click on “Designation”). Comments are due by July 6th.
Did
You Know?
Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health conducts approximately 450 public
swimming pool inspections per year. From
community centers and health clubs to apartments and condos, inspectors check
the pool chemistry and mechanicals to ensure that the water has adequate
disinfectant. They also check these safety
features:
- Ring buoys and life hooks are present
- Proper signage
- Bottom drain cover on securely
- Pool access properly restricted by doors and
gates
- Pumps, filters, and chlorinators properly
working
If an inspection is unsatisfactory, the pool is
closed until areas of concern are addressed.
So you can swim this summer
knowing Ramsey County public pools are safe.
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