Talking Trash In Woodbury

The Twin Cities metropolitan area recycled less in 2010 than it did in 2009, and members of area environmental commissions who gathered in Woodbury Monday night talked about how they might reverse that trend.

City commissioners from Oakdale, Woodbury, Cottage Grove and Mahtomedi met jointly to talk about the county’s 2012-2031 waste-management plan, which is currently being revised, and to share ideas.

The plan is revised every six years, according to the county website.

In 2010, the area recycled 6,731 fewer tons of waste, delivered 112,666 fewer tons of waste to be re-processed and put 95,645 more tons of garbage in landfills than in 2009, according to a presentation by Judy Hunter, a senior program manager with the Washington County Department of Public Health.

One concern with curbside recycling is that different garbage haulers often have varying specifications for what and how to recycle.

For example, some haulers let residents dump all recyclables into the same covered container while some ask residents to sort their items into separate paper bags. Also, different haulers accept different types of plastics.

Some area cities are looking at going to a single government-selected garbage hauler, said Woodbury sustainability specialist Jennifer McLoughlin. Forest Lake is planning to hold a referendum on the issue, she said, and Maplewood is considering implementing organized hauling.

The issue, she said, is a “political nightmare."

Woodbury’s environmental advisory commission asked the city council to cap the number of garbage haulers in the city at seven, McLoughlin said.

Despite the politically tough environment, Roger Splinter, Woodbury Environmental Advisory Commission chair, said he supported considering a single-hauler system in Woodbury.

“I think it’s something that we should continue to look at,” he said.

Oakdale Environmental Management Commission member Dawn Johnson said officials have tried to help residents by providing a guide to different haulers’ recycling policies on the city website.

“It’s tough for residents to try to figure it out,” she said.

Mahtomedi started requiring single-sort recycling six years ago, said council member Lael Ramaley, and now 95 percent of their residents recycle.

Minneapolis is also testing out single-sort recycling in two neighborhoods to gauge the effects.

Oakdale commissioner A.J. Moses said he could see a city council going to a single trash hauler, but only in a non-election year.

“People don’t want to take a risk if they’re concerned about re-election,” he said.

To improve recycling rates, and meet the state’s targets, Hunt said the county’s plan will include working with institutions like schools and restaurants to get them to recycle their organic waste.

The county’s Department of Public Health and Environment is seeking feedback from residents and business on waste management. To share your thoughts, fill out this online survey.