Do you ever think about how much we take for granted? Take garbage, for instance. We throw garbage into a trash bag, put it in the container in our garage, and then put it out on the curb on pickup day. It’s gone! We know there are landfills, but we never see them; out of sight, out of mind. Landfills take up huge amounts of land, are known to contain chemicals that leach through the ground and eventually end up in our lakes and rivers, and sometimes have fires, which pollute the air. These are some of the arguments used by the promoters to keep the HERC (Hennepin Energy Recovery Center) open, while those who want it closed down cite air pollution and health reasons. If you’ve never heard of the HERC, it is located next to Target Field, home of the Twins, which generates energy through the burning of waste; all the trash that isn’t recycled or composted. In fact, it provides the energy for Target Field and even warms the field and seats in case of snow.
In April and May of this year, there were several articles in The Minnesota Star Tribune arguing for and against the existence of the HERC. Protesters were going on hunger strikes, carrying signs, and writing editorials, saying the HERC had a PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances also called “forever chemicals”) problem. Promoters of the HERC pointed out that the air pollution control system “insures that the filtered air discharged is at least 25 times cleaner than the ambient air.” They point out that the pollution is caused by all the diesel trucks that make deliveries in the area.
Curious? Want to learn more? Sign up for the HERC tour on July 22 to decide for yourself which is the best option.
