Minnesota

Statistics and Rankings

The 16th Nationwide Survey of MSW Management in the United States found that, in 2006, Minnesota had an estimated 5,894,933 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, placing it 24th in a survey of the 50 states and the capital district. Based on the 2006 population of 5,154,586, an estimated 1.14 tons of MSW were generated per person per year (ranking 33rd). Minnesota land-filled 2,200,457 tons (ranking 34th) in the state's 21 landfills. The state exported 740,269 tons of MSW, and the import tonnage was not reported. In 2006, Minnesota was increasing its 27 million-cubic-yard landfill capacity; it was ranked joint 22nd out of 44 respondent states for number of landfills. The following are banned from Minnesota landfills: yard waste (since 1990 in metro area, 1992 statewide); whole tires (1985); used oil (1988) and other motor vehicle fluids (1994); batteries (1988), some dry cell batteries (1990), and rechargeables (1991); white goods (1990); mercury-containing products (1992); fluorescent tubes (1993); and telephone directories (1994). Minnesota has nine waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities, which processed 1,170,841 tons of MSW (ninth out of 32 respondents). Landfill tipping fees across Minnesota were an average $40 per ton, where the cheapest and most expensive average [Page 559]landfill fees in the United States were $15 and $96, respectively. Average WTE tipping fees were $36 per ton. When disposal fees were first introduced in 1973, they were $0.15 per cubic yard. Minnesota recycled 2,523,635 tons of MSW, placing the state 18th in the ranking of recycled MSW tonnage. In an innovative scheme to reduce backyard burning, Chisago County residents who hand in their burn barrels and sign up for waste collection receive six months service at half price.

Waste Management

In Minnesota, open burning and dumping were common until the 1960s (as had been common historically across the United States), and there were over 1,500 dumps across the state in private and municipal hands. In 1967, the Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) were created and began developing legislation to protect air and water quality; they were also given the authority to oversee waste management. During 1969–71, many waste management provisions and rules came into force: counties were given control of their own MSW (County Solid Waste Management Act); general open burning was prohibited; solid waste disposal permits were introduced; and landfill requirements were upgraded. By 1973, 13 landfills managed 90 percent of MSW, and 135 permit-issued sanitary landfills had replaced the multitude of dumps.

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