INFORMATION 08-18-2008INFORMATION
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: Rebecca Haug, Environmental Administrator
DATE: August 14, 2008
SUBJECT: Pilot Curbside Source Separated Organic (SSO) Collection
Program
Organic waste contributes to approximately 25% of the waste stream. In an effort to reduce
that amount and "give back to nature" in the form of compost, staff applied for a SCORE
grant from Sherburne County to conduct a Pilot Curbside Source Separated Organic (SSO)
Collection Program. The City was awarded approximately $50,000 to conduct this program.
Staff has been working with the residents of Trout Brook Farms (single family homes) to
lead the City into the next phase of recycling and waste reduction. Randy's Sanitation will be
delivering carts to approximately 300 homes in the development the week of August 20,
2008. The first day of collection will be August 27, 2008.
The hope is to then expand the program into the townhomes within Trout Brook Farms and
then, if the program is successful, roll it out to the entire city. The plan is to fund the project
this year (2008) with the SCORE grant, in 2009 offer the program at a reduced rate with a
SCORE grant to fund the remaining costs and then, in 2010, charge the customer the actual
costs. The goal is that by that time residents will have reduced their garbage container size
so there will not be an increase in cost but actually a decrease, as organics and recyclables are
not taxed and garbage is.
This program will reduce dependency on landfill space and provide RRT with a drier fuel for
their RDF process which will produce better fuel for electricity. Please let me know if you
have any questions. I can be reached at 763.635.1068.