Lori Golightly
ESPM5242-Fall 2007
Exercise 1-10/02/07
POLICY PROBLEM
The language change in 1994 to define source-separated organics as municipal solid waste in the
Minnesota Waste Management Act (Minnesota Statute 115A.03 Subd. 21. (b), 115A.03 Subd.
32a., and 115.02 (b) (3)) has limited the expansion of composting facilities and organics recycling programs in the state of Minnesota.
BACKGROUND
Source-Separated Organics Composting/Organics Recycling (SSO) is a program that has been expanding within Hennepin County (county). The county has encouraged the program by reducing tipping fees for organics, creating a funding policy to reduce the cost of containers and compostable products (i.e. bags and food serviceware), and providing community and business outreach for the program. Currently, the county is pursuing the impacts of the change of defining SSO in the Waste Management Act. The definition of SSO was changed when the mixed municipal solid waste processing payment was adding to the Waste Management Act in 1994, thus defining SSO as mixed municipal solid waste. Prior to the definition change, SSO was not defined as mixed municipal solid waste. SSO is the only waste stream collected, managed separately, and diverted for recycling (composting) that is still considered mixed municipal solid waste.
The change has impacted composting facilities, requiring municipal solid waste permits, which are lengthy and costly. The stricter requirements have been seen as a barrier or a limited factor in expanding organics recycling programs. Other counties, beyond

Hennepin County, have been looking at either creating or expanding their organics recycling program to include organics composting.
STAKEHOLDERS
The stakeholders involved in the impacts of a language change in the Waste Management
Act include waste haulers, food-to-animal haulers, recycling facilities, compost facilities, state wide county employees in the waste management department, and state employees in the waste management departments. Other stakeholders include environmental groups that may be for or against the change depending on the potential impacts. Potentially, the majority of waste haulers would resist the definition change, with the exception of the waste haulers that are currently providing organics composting service. The waste haulers may resistance because of the potential increase of demand from consumers for the organics composting service, requiring them to either purchase or upgrade their equipment in order to pick up SSO material. The food-to-animal haulers would encourage the removal of SSO material as municipal solid waste due to the present permits they are required to run their operations. Recycling and composting facilities would most likely advocate for the change in order to increase waste diversion from landfills or waste-to-energy facilities to their own facilities. The county and state employees may have dividing roles similar to the waste haulers either due to lack of information, resistance to change, or having no interest in providing organics composting to the public. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency may not be an advocate for the change, as the removal of SSO as municipal solid waste would require separate permitting process for organics composting facilities.
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AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The availability of information is somewhat limiting, as the organics composting program in the counties were not in place prior to the definition change. The information that would be applicable is comparing states with active and large organics composting programs and their definition of SSO, such as California, Oregon, Washington, and
Massachusetts, and other states close to Minnesota: Wisconsin and Iowa. Other information could be collected from organics composting programs and SSO definitions in Canada. Tonnage of SSO could be retrieved from counties and cities participating in organics composting. Potential tonnage could also be retrieved from the state and counties. This information is available from the Environmental Quality Board and the
Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board. Information on composting facilities permits can be retrieved from the Environmental Protection Agency and Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency. Information on yard waste composting facilities can be compared to SSO composting facilities. This information is available from composting facilities, counties, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
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