Commissioner Susan Haigh, Chair, Ramsey County

Commissioner Dick Stafford, Vice Chair,

Washington County

Commissioner Dennis Berg, Anoka County

Commissioner Jim Kordiak, Anoka County

Commissioner Jim Ische, Carver County

Commissioner Tom Workman, Carver County

Commissioner Joseph Harris, Dakota County

Commissioner Michael Turner, Dakota County

Commissioner Randy Johnson, Hennepin County

Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County

Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, Ramsey County

Commissioner Dennis Hegberg, Washington County

Sherry Enzler, OEA

Barry Schade, Dakota County

Mike Lein, Carver County

Judy Hunter, Washington County

Phil Eckhert, Hennepin County

Zack Hansen, Ramsey County

Brad Fields, Anoka County

Ryan O’Gara, SKB

Doug Carnival, McGrann, Shea, et al

Julie Ketchum, Waste Management

Maggie Kirwin, Anoka County

Sue Doll, Anoka County

Mark Scipioni, MN Dept. Administration

Sandra Nussbaum, Hennepin County

Angie Timmons, Hennepin County

Irv Stern, BFI

Doug Carnival, McGrann Shea Carnival

Chuck Wegner, BFI

Judy Purman, Specialized Environmental Technologies

Tim Goodman, Tim Goodman & Associates

Susan Cairn, Susan Cairn & Associates

Erin Bowley, Community POWER

Jackie Dionne, Little Earth

Linda Gondringer, RRA

Mary Richardson, RRA

Kathie Doty, RRA

Jan Lucke, RRA

Lucinda Pepper, RRA

Commissioner Harris made a motion to approve the minutes of the May 28, 2003 meeting. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hegberg and passed unanimously on a voice vote. Commissioner Hegberg made a motion to approve the checks and claims as submitted. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Reinhardt and passed unanimously on a voice vote.

1. Regional Policy Plan: Overview of Vision and Goals and Proposed Policies

Zack Hansen presented an overview of work done to date on the Regional Policy Plan. Work on the Policy Plan began in 2002 with a notice published by the OEA. The statutory deadline for completing the Plan is December 1, 2003. Mr. Hansen briefly reviewed the draft Vision, Goals and Policies.

 

2. Electronics: Overview of CRT Issues and Implications of Ban

Kathie Doty presented an overview of the current status of electronics and of new Minnesota legislation that bans CRTs from the MSW stream. Ms. Doty noted that there are an estimated 3.5 million TVs and 2 million computer monitors in Minnesota homes and businesses, and therefore a potential 5.5 million CRTs that will be disposed of over the next decade. CRTs contain lead in the phosphorescent coating fused between two layers of glass, and in the funnel and frit. Lead in crushed CRT glass and in the frit leach readily when subjected to the TCLP test. Ms. Doty noted that CRTs also contain silver, gold, cadmium, mercury, and PCBs in capacitors. Ms. Doty noted that CRTs are currently being recycled but that it is costly and the process is labor-intensive. The proposed solution is a shared responsibility between manufacturers, consumers and the government.

Ms. Doty highlighted the SWMCB and OEA initiatives for CRTs from 1998 to the present, which included demonstration collections, creation of the Electronics Task Force and the current legislation sponsored by the SWMCB. Effective July 1, 2005, a person may not place in mixed municipal solid waste an electronic product containing a cathode ray tube (CRT). Ms. Doty noted that 24 states have introduced legislation to manage CRTs, and that four states, including Minnesota, have bans on CRTs in the MSW stream.

Ms. Doty explained the National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative (NEPSI), a collaborative effort that officially began June of 2001. Minnesota has two representatives participating in NEPSI.

Commissioner McLaughlin asked if LCD screens pose similar threats as CRTs. Ms. Doty said there is mercury in LCD screens along with some heavy metals. One of the reasons to engage manufacturers in the management effort for CRTs is to encourage them to develop new, non-toxic technologies. Commissioner McLaughlin asked what the unit cost is to recycle CRTs. Phil Eckhert of Hennepin County responded that the total unit cost is $15 for CRTs, which includes disassembly and recycling but not collection.

Sherry Enzler of the OEA stated that studies have been done in Minnesota and in Washington State showing an average processing cost of $8-$9 dollars, a price which varies according to the age of the electronic being recycled. Ms. Enzler stated that manufacturers predict they can drive down the cost to $7 dollars within two years and to $0 dollars within five years. Manufacturing companies are working on recycling and finding markets for the materials recovered. Ms. Enzler clarified for Commissioner McLaughlin that manufacturers feel they can achieve zero cost recycling by both improving design and materials used in electronics and by recovering more money from the electronics recycling process.

Ms. Enzler noted that the OEA’s electronics initiatives in 1999 and 2000 spurred Sony to become the first company to take back end of life electronics at a national level and that NEPSI happened as a result of those OEA dialogues. Ms. Enzler noted that NEPSI is mindful that it will take one to two years to get legislation in place but are working on an interim management process while legislation is being created.

Chair Haigh asked if Commissioner Kordiak had additional information based on his participation with NEPSI. Commissioner Kordiak noted that 24 states have serious legislative discussions happening and are interested in seeing NEPSI continue. Interim progress has been made which has eliminated duplicate programs and models of working with the industry. Electronics manufacturers are increasingly cooperating. Commissioner Kordiak noted that transportation, collection and consolidation costs all need to be considered when making management decisions.

Chair Haigh said the SWMCB needs to continue to work over the next six months to develop and implement the next steps for the electronics management process.

3. 2004 SWMCB Work Plan and Budget Timeline

1. GreenGuardian.com Media Launch: June 26, 2003

Angie Timmons noted that the official launch of the GreenGuardian.com is at 10:30 a.m. on June 26, 2003 at the Discovery Hall of the Science Museum. The launch is in the form of a press conference, and Chair Haigh, Vice-chair Stafford and Commissioner Reinhardt will be speaking at the event. Chair Haigh noted that she hopes that all the SWMCB members can attend. Linda Gondringer noted the mascot will appear at the media launch and is scheduled for numerous events for the remainder of the year. Ms. Gondringer reviewed the press coverage that the Green Guardian is receiving.

2. Community POWER: Round #2 Final Reports Summary

Susan Cairn presented the summary of the Round #2 Grant Activity for Community POWER. Ms. Cairn noted that Erin Bowley, county staff and herself worked directly with organizations receiving funding from Community POWER, and that grantees are very excited to work with an organization that not only funds their projects but provides resources and support as well. One example of a group funded in Round #2 is the Minneapolis High-rise Representative Council. The Council had 100 resident representatives participate in HHW disposal workshops. There was high interest and lots of questions about disposing of toxic waste. During the project, almost 300 residents completed Junk Mail postcards and 11 buildings established swap days to exchange unwanted products. Ms. Cairn noted that approximately 500 residents received information in a newsletter format translated into several languages.

Ms. Cairn described waste reduction and recycling as concepts that are foreign to groups of immigrants such as Somali. Through the program, 38 Somali high school students have been trained as waste reduction and recycling "coordinators". It is the job of the coordinators to teach family and community members about waste reduction and toxicity issues. 120 families have been reached through this effort. Additionally, an article written in the Somali language was printed in Warzon, a Twin Cities’ Somali language newspaper.

Ms. Cairn stated that grantees are having progress past the grant period on their projects. Ms. Cairn and Ms. Bowley are in the process of completing evaluations of grantees, and Ms. Cairn said the initial evaluation shows success. Applications are being accepted through July 11, 2003 for new grantees. There is $94,000 available to fund new projects. Potential grantees will be selected in late July.

Ms. Cairn then introduced Jackie Dionne, a representative of the Little Earth Tribes organization. Little Earth received a Solid Waste Reduction grant in Round #2 of Community POWER funding. Ms. Dionne stated that the Little Earth community is 212 Section 8 housing units located at Hiawatha Avenue and Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis. The residents are primarily American Indian families. There about 1,000 residents at Little Earth, a majority of them are 18 years old or younger. During the program, ten young "teachers" were trained to spread information on waste reduction and recycling to 178 homes. The kids went through six training sessions, including a tour of HERC that surprised and inspired them. They became vested in waste reduction and began to train individual families in the Little Earth community.

Ms. Dionne stated that a usual response to a community organized event is 10%, but through the outreach of the teachers training residents in their homes that 80% of residents were reached. Recycling bins will be moved into a central, visible cluster area. The project was successful in bringing recycling to the forefront of resident’s minds but more effort is needed to lead residents to action.

Commissioner Turner made a motion to accept the Round #2 Final Report of Community POWER as submitted. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Reinhardt and passed unanimously on a voice vote.

3. Office Paper Reduction Summary Report

Chair Haigh noted that the Construction Waste Project won a NACo award, and thanked Michael Reed of Ramsey County and Sheila Wiegman of Dakota County for coordinating the project. Pulte Homes and Hans Hagen Homes collaborated on the project, which investigated the on-site grinding and beneficial reuse applications of construction materials. Chair Haigh stated that South Metro Sort and Recycle worked to identify barriers within the construction waste recycling industry. Commissioner Hegberg and Commissioner McLaughlin will attend the NACo ceremony and receive the award on behalf of the SWMCB.

Commissioner Kordiak stated that he had recently toured Amazon Environmental’s latex paint recycling facility and encouraged other Board members to do the same. The company is viable and has operations in two other states.

Commissioner McLaughlin asked if there would be a SWMCB Backyard Residential Composting Bin Distribution program this year. Chair Haigh stated that the funding for the program was put on hold due to budgetary concerns; but that she would like the program to be included in the 2004 work plan and budget.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.