Item Description:
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Exploring Ordinance 18 amendments as a funding source to further accelerate zero-waste implementation - offered by Commissioner Conley
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WHEREAS:
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WHEREAS, in 2021 the county committed to achieving a zero-waste future and defined zero waste as preventing 90% or more of all discarded materials from being landfilled or incinerated; and
WHEREAS, the county has and continues to follow through on this commitment with increased investments in policy, programming and infrastructure as documented in the creation of the Zero Waste Plan in 2023, a prioritization of the highest impact zero-waste actions in the Plan to Reinvent Hennepin County’s Solid Waste System in 2024, and culminated in the county’s 2024 Solid Waste Management Plan as required by Minnesota Statute § 473.803; and
WHEREAS, the county has established dashboard metrics for tracking progress toward the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s metro policy plan objectives; the county's zero-waste goal and the criteria to be met to responsibly close HERC, including a 75% recycling rate, less than 10% biogenic material in the trash, a 22% reduction in waste generated per capita, and no net increase in landfilling over 2022 actuals; and
WHEREAS, state leadership is needed to make the transition to zero waste, including financing to match desired outcomes, changing state statutes to support the shift away from disposal and toward a circular economy, expanding accountability for zero waste outcomes to include producer responsibility, redeveloping infrastructure to meet state waste reduction and recycling goals, and supporting markets to adapt to changing demands; and
WHEREAS, the county has committed additional resources to the implementation of zero waste by increasing the 2024 waste reduction and recycling budget by $2.8 million, including hiring staff to expand existing programs and develop new initiatives that prioritize reducing materials with the greatest climate impacts such as food, plastics, and building materials, and to address long-standing disparities in access to recycling and organics services, especially in multifamily settings; and
WHEREAS, the county has significant additional capital needs for zero-waste infrastructure, as well as expanded program needs; and
WHEREAS, the true cost of disposing of trash is not currently borne by the businesses that generate the most trash, which limits incentives to reduce, reuse, recycle, and accelerate progress toward zero-waste goals.
Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners directs the County Administrator to: (1) evaluate amendments to Ordinance 18 to accelerate implementation of zero waste actions; (2) provide analysis on how the potential revenues could be generated from commercial entities that produce the most waste, as well as analysis of how the potential revenue options would affect residents, especially residents with lower incomes and small businesses; (3) develop options and include recommendations for new revenue source(s); along with a proposed public engagement process and timeline to implement and provide to the Board by March 31, 2026.
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Background:
The county is a leader in zero waste efforts. In 2021, the county committed to achieving a zero-waste future and defined zero waste as preventing 90% or more of all discarded materials from being landfilled or incinerated. The county has followed through on this commitment with increased investments in policy, programming and infrastructure as documented in the creation of the Zero Waste Plan in 2023, a prioritization of the highest impact zero-waste actions in the Plan to Reinvent Hennepin County’s Solid Waste System in 2024, and culminated in the county’s 2024 Solid Waste Management Plan as required by Minnesota Statute § 473.803.
This resolution seeks to explore the additional revenues sources to further accelerate implementation of zero waste actions.
The revenue to operate the county’s solid waste system and zero-waste work is currently made up of the tip fee haulers pay to deliver waste to county facilities, and the Solid Waste Management Fee. The county also enacted Ordinance 18: County Collected Solid Waste Fee for Solid Waste Management Services to fund the county’s solid waste system. The rate is set by fee hearing and is applied at the market value of taxable property in the county. The rate has been set at 0% since 2009.
To accelerate implementation of zero waste actions, additional infrastructure is needed to support a circular economy - including infrastructure to recovery recyclables and organics from the trash, expand drop-off and collection options, provide space for reuse and repair, and manage wood waste caused by the emerald ash borer. The action directs the County Administrator to evaluate an amendment to Ordinance 18 and explore other new potential revenue sources to accelerate implementation of zero waste actions and provide a recommendation to the Board by March 31, 2026
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Because the true cost of disposing of trash is not currently borne by the businesses that generate the most trash, the evaluation will provide analysis on how the potential revenues could be generated from commercial entities that produce the most waste. The evaluation will also assess how the potential revenue options would affect residents with lower incomes and small businesses to mitigate unintended consequences.
The recommendation will also propose a public involvement process and timeline for amending ordinances or establishing other revenue options to ensure meaningful engagement opportunity and transparency for the process.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: No Recommendation