Community invited to help plan new Environmental Service Center

Ramsey County invites all county residents to attend upcoming community open houses to provide feedback and learn more about plans to build a new Environmental Service Center. Saint Paul - Ramsey County Public Health will hold a series of in-person and online meetings about a new center it proposes to build at 1700 Kent Street in Roseville.

The Environmental Service Center will be centrally located and designed to make it easier for all county residents to recycle, repair and reuse resources, and access waste disposal services. The county-owned facility is envisioned to offer the following services:

• Year-round recycling, electronics and household hazardous waste drop-off.
• A free product reuse room.
• Space for Fix-It Clinics and other environmental education activities.

"We are in the early planning stages of the Environmental Service Center and invite residents, organizations and businesses to attend these meetings to learn more and provide feedback,” said Saint Paul - Ramsey County Public Health Director Sara Hollie. “The center is part of a redesign of our environmental health services to improve accessibility, advance racial and health equity, and promote environmental justice and economic opportunities.”

Community open houses are scheduled for several dates:

Virtual – online Zoom meetings

Thursday, Oct. 6, & Thursday, Oct. 18, 5-6 p.m.
Visit ramseycounty.us/ESC for Zoom meeting links and information.

In-person community meetings

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 5-7 p.m.
Ramsey County Library – Roseville
2180 Hamline Ave. N., Roseville.

Monday, Oct. 24, 5-7 p.m.
New Life Presbyterian Church
965 Larpenteur, Roseville.

More information on the service center and an online form to ask questions or provide feedback are available at ramseycounty.us/ESC.

The Environmental Service Center is a key component of Enhancing Environmental Health Services, a multi-year county initiative to redesign and add services focused on community needs.

“Based on past and ongoing community engagement, a new system is being developed to improve accessibility and participation in recycling and waste disposal services by all county residents,” said interim Environmental Health Division Director Rae Eden Frank. “The Environmental Service Center is part of our work to respond to what community has told us, as is a new partnership with Repowered to provide free electronics (e-waste) recycling for county residents, and other service improvements we’re considering.”

Final plans and budget for the service center will be developed following feedback from community and approval of plans from a design-construction firm to be hired by the county. Frank said construction would be paid for from the county’s Solid Waste Fund balance, with most revenue provided by the County Environmental Charge.

Concept plans for an Environmental Service Center were discussed at a Ramsey County board workshop January 12, 2021.