The pandemic brought many challenges to our state over this past year. One new challenge includes more trash. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has seen a 30% increase in garbage going to metro area landfills in the last year alone, and those landfills are quickly running out of space.
At Conservation Minnesota, we continue to push for state policies that will reduce garbage and help us achieve a circular economy. Being more considerate of the things we buy and throw out will help reduce garbage, save resources, and save us all money.
Dealing with more waste and fewer places to put it remains a major challenge and, consequently, some landfills are looking to expand their capacity. One such example is in Burnsville where the MPCA is proposing an expansion of the Burnsville Sanitary Landfill to account for the increase in garbage. The MPCA is also considering a potential plan to move waste from the long problematic and closed nearby Freeway Landfill to the Burnsville Sanitary Landfill. The MPCA has prepared a draft supplemental environmental impact statement, and on June 23rd it conducted a virtual meeting to share information and hear from the public about the proposed project.
The MPCA is still accepting public comment on the proposed Burnsville Sanitary Landfill project through July 31st. You can email your comments to Steve Sommer at: steve.sommer@state.mn.us
Or you can mail feedback to:
Steve Sommer
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road
Saint Paul, MN 55155
Nowhere near Burnsville? The MPCA is also looking for feedback and guidance on updating the Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan.