Laserfiche WebLink
__ . ~- <br />~~i~ 1 <br />Diver <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: City Council <br />FROM: Rebecca Haug, Environmental Administrator <br />DATE: August 3, 2009 <br />ITEM 5.3. <br />SUBJECT: Curbside Source Separated Organic (SSO) Collection Program <br />In August 2008, the City through a grant from Sherburne County began a pilot Curbside <br />Source Separated Organic (SSO) Collection Program in the Trout Brook Farms (single <br />family homes) development. This program expanded to the Trout Brook Farms South <br />townhomes this past spring. The collection of the SSO has been conducted by Randy's <br />Environmental Services, who has a contract with the City for hauling residential waste and <br />recycling. <br />Due to the success of the pilot program, staff applied for another grant this year from <br />Sherburne County and was awarded $41,209 for this program. The City has budgeted <br />$77,000 out of landfill abatement for this program. <br />The second year program will be offered to all City of Elk River residents. The resident <br />must call Elk River Municipal Utilities to subscribe for this service as it is not a mandatory <br />program. The first 1,700 to call and subscribe will receive an organics cart, valued at $50, for <br />free. If the resident is willing to downsize their current garbage container, they will receive <br />the service for $2/month for the first year. If the resident chooses not to downsize their <br />container, they are still eligible to participate in the program; however, they will pay the <br />actual cost of the service, which is $4/month. The benefit to this program is the resident <br />does not pay taxes on recycling ox compostables but does on garbage, so there will be a cost <br />savings. The attached flier and brochure will be sent to all City residents explaining the <br />program and how to subscribe. Randy's Environmental Services will continue to collect the <br />SSO from all City residents. <br />It is amazing how much material can be composted. All of your food scraps, food-soiled <br />paper products and other items such a dryer lint, vacuum cleaner bags, tissues and cotton <br />balls can be composted. <br />Organics make up approximately 25% of the waste stream. This program will reduce <br />dependency on landfill space and provide a drier fuel for the RDF process which will <br />produce better fuel for electricity. Please let me know if you have any .questions. I will be <br />present at the August 3 meeting or can be reached at 763.635.1068. <br />