Minneapolis WTE facility cited in “What Works” series

The Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) waste-to-energy (WTE) plant in Minneapolis is the focus of a “What Works” series article in Politico magazine and its www.Politico.com website.

In the article, writer Caleb Hannan portrays a non-odor-causing WTE plant located in the North Loop area, which is now considered Minneapolis’ “most trendy neighborhood.”

In an e-mail promoting the article, Politico.com says “Critics were concerned that the northern side of the city would be under a constant cloud, and more significantly, they were worried about the smell. Flash forward 25 years, and the North Loop smells just fine. It has become Minneapolis’ most trendy neighborhood, and as for HERC itself, it’s almost entirely innocuous.”

In writer Hannan’s and Politico’s assessment, “HERC is eliminating the need for landfills and providing power to the city, while producing ‘next to no emissions.’”

The article includes quotes from long-time Hennepin County Commissioner Randy Johnson; Ted Michaels of the Energy Recovery Council; and David Biderman, CEO of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA).