A lawsuit filed against Hennepin County accuses the county of violating state law by not developing plans to reduce the quantity and toxicity of ash produced at its garbage incinerator in downtown Minneapolis.

Background

The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) says the state’s largest county isn’t complying with a law requiring clear plans to manage ash produced by burning roughly 365,000 tons of trash each year at the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC). The ash, which contains heavy metals like mercury and lead, is disposed of in a landfill in Rosemount.

State statute 115A requires counties with incinerators to include steps in their solid waste management plans to reduce the quantity and toxicity of ash produced at those facilities. Hennepin County’s most recent solid waste management plan from 2024 does not mention ash from the HERC.

Community Concerns

Anita Martinez, a resident near the landfill in Rosemount, expressed concerns about the landfill’s location near the Mississippi River and pristine natural areas like the Spring Lake Park Reserve. “We are not asking for anything radical; we are asking the county to follow the law,” Martinez said.

The MCEA suggests that Hennepin County could use modern techniques to more safely transport and dispose of ash, such as solidifying the ash by adding it to a cement mixture or using chemicals to separate out fine heavy metal particles from the ash.

Original reporting: Sahan Journal — read the source article.