County to build "re-use" facility

During their Feb. 2 meeting, members of the county board of commissioners signed documents to accept a $225,000 grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

The money will be used toward constructing a $300,000 “re-use” facility at the county recycling center.

 

County engineer Jim Kollar explains the grant was applied for last fall under an MPCA program intended to encourage “projects that focus on best practices for waste reduction, reuse, recycling or composting collection systems” outside the metro area.

 

Under the grant, the county will construct a 32- by 36-foot building at the recycling center where it can display things brought to the landfill for disposal but which still have “value” or “usable life.” The intent is that recycling center staff will select and set aside such items and place them on display; members of the public will be able to view and consider them, and when desirable take them home at no cost.

 

Plans for the project include the building, a furnace, and a concrete parking pad. Furnishings inside will be shelves and spaces suitable to display items which might include furniture, decorative objects, electronics, or many other products otherwise destined for the landfill.

 

Recycling center supervisor Tammie Bramer estimated items totaling to about half a ton of weight have already been diverted from the landfill through a small-scale, informal pilot program which has been underway over the past 18 months or so. Kollar provided estimates that a dedicated facility and accessible viewing area might increase the amount to 6,000 pounds or so a year. With the funding now in place, Kollar believes construction will begin this summer and the facility could be in operation by fall.