Item Description:
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Approve revised business recycling incentive program policy; Approve revised school recycling grant eligibility guidelines; Approve Agmt PR00005330 with Osseo Area Schools for school recycling grant, 06/28/23-07/01/25, NTE $1,400
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Business Recycling Incentive Program Policy be updated to expand eligible expenses for projects that prevent waste and increase food rescue; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the School Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant Program eligibility guidelines be expanded to include pre-k and post-secondary schools; that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate and award School Waste Reduction and Recycling grant agreements; that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the County Administrator be authorized to sign the agreements on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate Agreement PR00005330 with Osseo Area Schools for a school waste reduction and recycling grant, during the period June 28, 2023 through July 1, 2025, with an amount not-to-exceed $1,400, that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the County Administrator be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
The Hennepin County Business Recycling Incentive Program Policy was adopted by the county board in 2013 to provide funding for waste prevention, recycling and organics projects at businesses, non-profits, and multifamily properties (Resolution 13-0180). Since its adoption, 538 grants totaling $3.7 million have been awarded, helping businesses, nonprofits, and multifamily properties implement projects that prevent waste, expand food rescue, and improve and start recycling and organics programs.
Pursuant to the county’s amended Recycling Ordinance Number 13, new organics recycling requirements went into effect in 2020 (Resolution 18-0488). At that time, the grant program split into two focus areas - recycling and organics container grants for emerging small business enterprises, multifamily properties and nonprofits, and waste prevention grants for businesses, multifamily properties, and nonprofits. This change reflected a prioritization of preventing waste, in alignment with the state’s waste management hierarchy, while acknowledging ESBEs, multifamily properties and nonprofits still needed basic recycling and organics support with the new requirements in place.
The original policy excludes trucks and dishwashers from eligible expenses. The proposed revisions to the policy remove these items from the list of ineligible expenses. These items are key components of waste prevention projects that are switching to reusables or expanding capacity to collect food that would otherwise go to waste and materials for reuse. Through various engagement efforts, including the Zero Waste Plan development and a recent audit of the county’s food rescue system, businesses, reuse retailers and food rescue organizations have expressed a need for assistance in funding these items as part of their efforts to prevent waste.
The School Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant Program has been supporting waste prevention, recycling, and organics projects at schools since 2012. The technical and financial assistance provided through this program is critical to supporting waste prevention and diversion at schools strained for staff time and resources. In 2022, staff underwent a review of the program using the county’s Racial Equity Impact Tool. Among the outcomes of this analysis were recommendations to prioritize schools that have 50% or more of its students on free or reduced lunch. Additionally, staff identified gaps in the county’s waste reduction and recycling grant programs for funding pre-k and post-secondary schools and recommend expanding the School Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant Program grant funding eligibility guidelines to include pre-k and post-secondary schools.
School recycling grants are available to public and private K12 schools, with $100,000 available in 2023. In January 2023, the county released a request for proposals for the first round of funding, restricting eligibility to schools with 50% or more of its students on free or reduced lunch. Three proposals were received, and all were recommended for funding. Two grant agreements will be approved through administrative processes. The remaining 2023 grant funding for the School Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant Program is currently now available to all schools on a rolling application basis.
Agreement PR00005330 with Osseo Area Schools ($1,400), requires board approval because the school district has executed contracts with the county that exceed $100,000. Funds from this agreement will be used by the school district to expand recycling to the cafeteria and collect food scraps in the kitchen to compost on site at the Osseo Area Learning Center.
The 2023 Environment and Energy budget includes $100,000 in expenditures for School Waste Prevention and Recycling Grants and $300,000 for Business Waste Prevention Grants. Funding for these agreements comes from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.
Current Request: This request seeks approval of revisions to the Hennepin County Business Recycling Incentive Program Policy to expand eligible expenses for projects that prevent waste and increase food rescue.
This request also seeks approval of revisions to the School Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant Program eligibility guidelines, expanding eligibility to include pre-k and post-secondary schools, and authorizing the County Administrator to approve future agreements.
This request also seeks approval for the County Administrator to negotiate Agreement PR00005330 with Osseo Area Schools for a school waste reduction and recycling grant, during the period June 28, 2023 through July 1, 2025, with an amount not-to-exceed $1,400.
Impact/Outcomes: Reducing waste and increasing recycling and organics diversion at schools and businesses helps meet the county’s waste and climate goals.
The three school grants recommended for funding all serve a majority of students that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Providing recycling grants to schools helps ensure all students have equitable access to recycling and waste reduction programs. Since 2002, 177 projects have been funded, totaling $2.4 million of support for school recycling programs.
Expanding eligibility for the School Waste Prevention and Recycling Grant Program to include pre-k and post-secondary schools expands the county’s ability to increase waste prevention and diversion at schools, especially those with limited resources and those serving students facing economic hardship.
Expanding the allowable expenses for the Business Waste Prevention Grant Program expands the county’s ability to increase waste prevention and support food rescue organizations and businesses that are working to change the culture of consumption and prevalence of single-use goods. Since the Business Recycling Incentive Program Policy was adopted in 2013, 538 projects have been funded, totaling $3.7 million of support for waste prevention, recycling and organics programs at businesses, nonprofits, and multifamily properties.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval