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Bipartisan bill to study critical materials in Minnesota's waste stream wins support
Summary
Lawmakers unanimously heard bipartisan testimony supporting funding for a study to map critical materials in Minnesota’s waste streams and evaluate recovery opportunities; proponents said better data can grow domestic processing and jobs and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.
Representative Kozlowski introduced House File 4819 to fund a state study identifying critical materials that flow through Minnesota’s waste stream and to propose infrastructure needed to recover and retain those materials for domestic processing.
Witnesses from the BlueGreen Alliance, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and Mining Minnesota testified in favor. Ryan Gilbertson of the BlueGreen Alliance said the task force report shows opportunities to capture metals and critical minerals that now end up in landfills or are shipped overseas for processing. "These materials could be backbones to new industries powering Minnesota's economic future," Gilbertson said.
Ben Wilson, legislative director for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (testifying for JT Haynes), and Kyle Macario of Mining Minnesota each emphasized both recycling potential and the need for complementary domestic mining and processing to meet demand for materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper. Testimony urged the study include data on material flows, recycling feasibility and potential product redesign to improve recyclability.
Committee members expressed general support and noted the bill would fund a data‑driven next step to grow a circular economy for critical minerals. Representative Kozlowski renewed the motion to lay the bill over; the committee laid House File 4819 over for further consideration.
