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Public Space Recycling

Public Space Recycling . In Dakota County. What are public s paces?. Parks & playgrounds Outdoor sports facilities Picnic areas & shelters Beaches & water parks Streetscapes in commercial districts or downtown areas All event, recreation, sports, nature, and visitors centers

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Public Space Recycling

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  1. Public Space Recycling In Dakota County

  2. What are public spaces? • Parks & playgrounds • Outdoor sports facilities • Picnic areas &shelters • Beaches & water parks • Streetscapes in commercial districts or downtown areas • All event, recreation, sports, nature, and visitors centers Q: What other public spaces or areas do you have? • Q: Do you offer recycling in commercial districts, downtowns, or other gathering areas?

  3. Why is recycling important in MN public spaces? • Q: How many parks does your city manage? • Q: What materials do you recycle in parks/public spaces? • Q: What materials are not being captured within your parks?

  4. Did you know? Over 30% of beverage containers are consumed away from home. Why Recycleat public spaces? • Departmental mission or city policy • Protect the environment • Build a positive image for your community • Improve experience of users & visitors • Education the public • Revenue from bin advertising or commodities Q: What is your motivation for recycling in public spaces?

  5. Challenges to recycling in public spaces. • Labor & time • Fluctuations and variation in waste • Single-use items, food discards, seasonality • Many different stakeholders (public, colleagues, elected officials) • Costs of bins and pick-up service Q: What challenges do you face in implementing and maintaining recycling in parks/public spaces?

  6. Plastic bottle in the trash How do we tackle recycling challenges? Transition Option 1.Add recycling to existing garbage infrastructure Option 2. Create a new waste management infrastructure Not effective: Commingled garbage and recycling More effective: Clean & separated recyclables

  7. Building a (Better) Programfor Public Space Recycling • Understand upfront opportunities & obstacles • Survey user groups, talk to staff, etc. • Clearly define scope & estimate realistic budget • Prioritizing public areas • Criteria - visibility, high traffic, controlled • Build stakeholder partnerships • Design program • Containers, education, collection, transportation, processing, end-markets • Measure and evaluate • Communicate results

  8. Solutions: Working with Stakeholders Internal partners • Solid waste • Parks • Public Works/Facilities • Police? • Working Group meetings to define budget, scope, and implementation phases • Involving community up front

  9. Solutions: Working with Stakeholders External (Community)partners • Takes time but pays off • Program will reflect community values • Network of extended education • Artistic collaboration? • Volunteer monitors, educators

  10. Solutions: Collection • Pilot a few areas first • Plan accessibility • Concentrate bins in shelters, picnic areas, and other trafficked areas • Keep bins well labeled and serviced • Monitoring • Self-monitoring bins • Volunteers BigBelly Solar: Keeps track of volume in a bin so you only empty it when needed

  11. Solutions: Education How? • Signage-clear, simple, consistent message • bin labels • Picture heavy • Multi-lingual based on population Where? • At the bin • Any facility or enclosure (shelters, visitor center) • At the entrance/exits (parking lots, trails)

  12. Evaluation • Data • Waste data – materials collected, volume and service frequency • Costs – staff time, vendors, infrastructure • Assess number and capacity of bins for recycling and trash • Periodic visual assessments of container quantities • Survey collection staff to optimize program

  13. Solutions: Minimizing Costs • How many bins do you need? • Ratios vary from 1:2 to 1:12 (trash to recycling) • Start small and build on success • Work on a park-by-park basis • Right-size containers and streamline operations • Integrate services into general duties • Seattle: ~7 minutes per bin • Adjust bin counts & maintenance seasonally • Zero waste solutions

  14. Public Space Recycling Gaps • What resources do you need? • What can Dakota County do to help? Q: Is recycling a part of your park reservation process? Facilitate? Funding? Ordinance? Planning? Workshops? Bin Signs?

  15. Resources Dakota County • Bins through Container Fund • Labels • Staff assistance Regional • Eureka: BMPs for Public Spaces • Three Rivers Park District National • EPA: Recycling On the Go-Parks • Seattle Park Study • NYC Public Space Recycling Report

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