Every six years the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency updates the Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan with input from government entities, waste management companies, nonprofits, and the general public. This plan directs the actions related to waste reduction, reuse, and other materials management for the seven metro counties, which then set policy for cities within those counties. 

Recently MPCA held a virtual public meeting on the draft plan and coverage of the meeting was written up in Waste Dive. Reuse Minnesota's Executive Director Emily Barker attended and spoke in support of the emphasis on reuse in the plan, which also includes reference to our 2022 reuse impact report. Despite waste reduction and reuse being top priorities on paper for many years, prioritization of policy and programming has been low, especially when compared to recycling. Many government entities in the Twin Cities metro are doing great reuse work including hosting fix-it clinics and swap events, providing deconstruction and building material reuse grants, and creating online maps of reuse businesses. The draft plan outlines a path to further increase reuse in government, including leading by example by using reusable foodware at public meetings and joining and/or actively participating in a reuse network like Reuse Minnesota. We see this much needed focus on reuse as an important step forward in building truly regenerative communities. 

We invite our members and other reuse advocates to review the draft plan, attend a public meeting, and provide comments to ensure the next 20 years supports a strong reuse community in Minnesota.