Public Health and Environment
Greening Washington County
County Plans and Resources
The county has a Waste Management Master Plan that is updated every five years to guide waste management activities while establishing waste projections for the next 20 years. The Master Plan is developed in conjunction with the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan and the Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan.
Part of the county's role in the regional plan is being involved in coordinated efforts to educate residents and businesses on waste issues through RethinkRecycling.com.
The county has a Surface Water and Groundwater Plan for water quality and conservation.
The county began the Land and Water Legacy Program in 2007 to purchase land and interests in land in the form of a conservation easement for various purposes to improve natural resources. Click here for information on the Land and Water Legacy Program.
The online Residential Disposal Guide, developed and maintained by the county, provides recycling and disposal information to county residents.
The county also supports a product stewardship framework approach that creates effective, flexible, producer-led reduction, reuse and recycling programs to deal with a product’s lifecycle impacts from design through end-of-life product management so that state and local governments do not have primary responsibility for financing such efforts.
Greening County Operations
The Washington County Waste Management Master Plan states that the county "will lead by example in reducing, reusing, and recycling waste in county operations." Achieving this goal is an ongoing process the county is committed to through the following initiatives.
The county has passed board resolutions to specifically address environmentally preferable purchasing, sustainable building, the use of recycled paint, and the use of recycled manufactured scrap shingles in various asphalt applications within county operations.
Cut the Waste! Program
The Cut the Waste! Program focuses on reducing, reusing, and recycling waste in county operations. The following are some of the activities that have been implemented.
Green Purchasing
- The county hosted its first "Greening Your Organization: Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) and Practices Workshop" in 2007. The workshop was intended for public entities to learn more about the benefits and availability of environmentally preferable products and services, both from workshop presentations and participating vendors. Click here for more information.
- Through the county's EPP policy, criteria was developed to select safer, more environmentally preferable cleaners. Using these criteria, the number of cleaners available to offices was reduced to three – a dish soap, a hand soap, and an all-purpose cleaner.
- In order to protect the health of staff and protect the environment, the county continually looks for the least toxic cleaners or chemicals needed to maintain county buildings and grounds.
- Purchasing standards for computer equipment encourage departments to purchase printers with duplexing (double-sided printing) capabilities.
- All copiers, fax machines, printers and computers are Energy-Star® compliant meaning they have energy conservation features that cut energy costs and save money.
- The county purchases and uses refurbished office furniture, where applicable.
- The county purchases paper that is 30 percent post-consumer recycled content and elemental chlorine-free and envelopes that are 30 percent recycled content.
- T-8 light bulbs, which are more efficient, are being installed in county buildings.
- The county purchased the first hybrid fleet truck in the state back in 2005 and has since purchased a second. Hybrid vehicles have lower greenhouse gas emissions and better fuel economy.
- Lead-free wheel weights are being used in the county's Public Works fleet. Lead wheel weights are used world-wide to balance tires on vehicles and often fall from the tires which risks contaminating surface, ground, and drinking water supplies.
- More energy efficient LED (light emitting diode) units are being installed to replace incandescent traffic signal lights. More than 80 percent of the lights maintained by the county have been switched to LEDs.
Sustainable Building
- The county incorporated the Minnesota Sustainable Building Design Guidelines into the planning and building of the county's service center in Cottage Grove and service center and library in Forest Lake which were designed with water efficiency and energy conservation in mind. The guidelines were also incorporated into the county Government Center expansion. Click here for more information.
Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Processing
- The county Public Works Department participated in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Environmental Audit Program, which provides incentives for entities to conduct environmental audits of their operations. Public Works received the Green Star Award for its North Shop that signifies that it has successfully met the requirements of the Environmental Audit Program.
- The county has been implementing various integrated pest management (IPM) techniques for years, using less toxic alternatives to pesticides in county buildings and on county property.
- The county found a recycling outlet for PBT straws used in alcohol breathalyzer tests in the Community Corrections Department, which generates more than 120 straws per week.
- More than 230 plastic garden pots were recycled with a planting project in 2007.
- An old boat launch dock at Lake Elmo Park was reused to make a fishing pier.
- Several rain gardens were installed at Big Marine Park Reserve near the boat launch. The rain gardens prevent contaminants, such as oil and gas from trucks and boat trailers, from flowing into the lake. They also provide for groundwater recharge and are aesthetically pleasing. Native plants were added to restore various areas of existing shoreline in the park. Click here for more information (Big Marine Park Reserve Sustainability Tour) (PDF).
- All trash generated at county buildings is delivered to the Resource Recovery Facility in Newport. At the facility, the trash is mechanically processed into fuel which is used by Xcel Energy to produce electricity.
Office Recycling Program
The county has had an office recycling program since 1989. In 2009, county staff recycled over 138 tons of office material. Staff recycles office paper, newspaper, bottles and cans, cardboard, phone books, Tyvek® envelopes, transparency film, CDs, videotapes, floppy disks and cassette tapes, electronics and computers, batteries, pallets, shrink wrap, and printer cartridges. Recycling reduces reliance on landfills, incinerators, greenhouse gas emissions, natural resources, and energy use.
- Energy Savings. Through the office recycling program, the county saved enough energy to power 23 homes for one year.
- Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions. The county reduced greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 104 cars through recycling.
