A Reuse and Recycling Enterprise with Multiple Benefits
Presentation to Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board
February 22, 2012
Purpose of this Briefing1. Introduce The NetWork for
Better Futures and its social enterprise, Better Futures Enterprises
2. Outline our waste diversion and reuse/recycling lines of business
3. Summarize the multiple benefits generated by our work
4. Discuss how we can help advance Solid Waste goals
Better Futures Enterprises CREATES JOBS and GENERATES INCOME
Two lines of business:1. Provide reliable, supervised, work crews for public and
private customers
2. Divert materials from the waste stream, activities include:
Book recycling Residential and commercial building deconstruction Mixed plastics recycling Appliance reuse and recycling Resale and recycling of used household goods
BFE Creates Jobs and RecyclesLines of
BusinessFTE Customers 2011 Results
Book Recycling 3 -4St. Paul Public Libraries, Hennepin,
Carver, Isanti, Rice, Scott and Wright Counties, Better World Books
103 Tons of Books Recycled or Sold
Appliance Recycling
3-4Hennepin County, St. Paul Parks and Recreation, Minnesota Public Housing
Authority, Aspen Waste
9K Appliances Recycled or Sold
Deconstruction(2010)
5City of St. Paul, Project for Pride in
Living, Macalester College, Ramsey County, Mortenson Construction
92%-97% Recycling Rate, 100’s of Tons
of Material Reclaimed
Household Goods and
Plastics1
Brooklyn Park Transfer Station, Bridging, IKEA, Residents
50 Tons Diverted from the Landfill
BFE Creates Jobs and Provides Crew Labor
Lines of Business
FTE CustomersResults
Jan - Dec 2011
Cleanouts of Foreclosed Properties
3Wells Fargo, Edina Realty, Remax
Results, The Realty House, Twin Cities Community, Land Bank
Safe and Clean Spaces
Grounds Keeping
3City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County,
Macalester, TCF StadiumClean Public Spaces
Building Maintenance
2
Hennepin County Libraries, Private Building Owners, Macalester College,
Northwestern College, Augsburg College
Safe & Clean Spaces
Environmental Benefits
• Diverts and recycles costly, cumbersome waste products
• Reduces volume of materials in landfill• Reduces the cost of transporting waste to burners and
landfills• Provides a platform for diverting and reusing or
recycling other materials
7
Social and Economic Benefits
• All profits reinvested in local community
• Jobs for chronically unemployed, at-risk adults
• Reduced use of costly public programs
• Increased child support payment rates
• Reengagement with children and families
• Improved care of chronic illnesses
NetWork Goals
• Create jobs• Reduce spending • Build a vibrant community • Assess our value, impact and
results• Help reform practices, policies
and systems
Cross-Disciplinary Model
• Stable, safe home • Work and income• Primary health care• Behavioral health care and
treatment • Vibrant community
experience
A New Model of Success
Status Quo The NetWork results
for an average 70 men in 2011
Employed 25% 94%
Paying child support
15% 65%
Homelessness 100% 0%
Health insurance 0% 90%
Behavior health assessments
0% 67%
Return to prison for a new felony
26% 7%*
Over 500 participants served and engaged since January 2008
*Based on participants who have been enrolled with The NetWork for 90 or more days since December 2009
Challenges
• Deconstruction is 10 to 15% more costly than typical demolition
• Extremely low cost to dump C and D waste
• Hard to gain access to transfer stations
• Long term relationships and practices must be changed
Opportunities• Better Futures generates significant multiple benefits:
social, economic and environmental
• Counties can test and showcase ways to reuse and recycle a broader array of materials
• Changes in County policies and practices (deconstruction rather than demolition; creative diversion of household goods) can set trends and generate environmental results
• Use Better Futures to test, pilot and develop expanded and new methods of reuse and recycling
Next Steps1. Visit our processing
facility in Golden Valley2. Identify ways to increase
the amount of materials we are harvesting and recycling or reusing
3. Use our crews and expertise to test and demonstrate the efficacy of new or expanded recycling techniques
For more informationplease contact:
Vicky McMillan 612-325-7856
networkforbetterfutures.com