The city of Minneapolis has taken another step toward closing the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) incinerator.

Mayor Jacob Frey signed a resolution calling for it to be closed by the end of 2027 Thursday morning at City Hall.

The City Council approved the plan last week, and officials say the incinerator — located in the North Loop — is one of the biggest sources of air pollution in Minneapolis, adding that it burns nearly 365,000 tons of waste each year.

In October 2023, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners directed HERC staff to create a plan to close the facility between 2028 and 2040.

At the time, the board said the HERC official’s plan must “…comply with state statutes, meet milestones in the county’s Climate Action Plan and Zero Waste Plan, and ensure continued funding for waste reduction and resource programming natural resources of the county”.

That timeline has now grown under Frey’s resolution. According to city officials, the current operation of the incinerator is harming the effort to move to a zero-waste future, and closing it would allow the city to have “more environmentally responsible waste management practices” that would align with their goals.

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City leaders also argue that pollution disproportionately affects communities of color.

A spokesman for Hennepin County says that to achieve a shutdown by the end of 2027, city, county and state leaders must work together. “The county’s solid waste plan includes the necessary actions and criteria for the responsible closure of HERC between 2028 and 2040. The ability to successfully accomplish these actions on an accelerated schedule will depend on bold leadership at the state, county and city levels and the willingness to change from producers, businesses and residents.”