01-03-1985 Council Packet Special Meeting

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The Minnesota Department of Energy and Economic Development (DEED) should take on a leadership role for market development among the state agencies. The list of the state agencies that are or should be involved with solid waste market development are: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Minnesota Waste Management Board (WMB) Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Department of Administration Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) All levels of government and involved agencies should adopt a procurement policy that favors purchase of recycled products where possible. One of the metropolitan counties should take the lead on a co -composting demonstration to provide the University of Minnesota with enough product to test. This demon- stration should could be a temporary commitment.The cooperation and involvement of industries that are or could be secondary materials and energy markets is essential to the program's success. COMMUNICATION OF SOLID WASTE INFORMATION Overview There are three basic sectors involved in the solid paste management system: 1) the individual generators (residences and busines,es), 2) the solid waste service providers (waste/recyclables collection and processing firms and agen- cies), and 3) planning and regulatory governmental agencies and units. Each of the sectors must be informed and coordinated if the Council"s goals and poli- cies outlined in this plan are to be realized. Therefore, a cohesive, regional communications network must be established. Many ongoing communications efforts currently exist in the region (e.g., haulers billing notices, county and city recycling program publicity, plan and project media coverage). These are most often operated independently without regard to overlap of audience, duplication of effort, or efficiency with respect to the other communications programs. Proposed Roles and Responsibilities The government sector must take a leadership role to provide the tools and opportunities for effective and efficient communications. Neither private industry nor the individual generators can be expected to consider enough of the entire solid waste management system to coordinate a regional communica- tions system effectively. However, all sectors should contribute to planning, coordinating and implementing the regional communications program, especially those providers that have existing public awareness campaigns (see Table 4-11). Metropolitan Council should build upon its already existing community involve- ment framework (sometimes called "citizen participation program") to increase the quality and cost-effectiveness of input to solid waste planning processes throughout the region. Specific standards should be established for public input for the development of the counties" solid waste master plans and resource recovery projects. 59