Activists calling for closure of trash-burning plant in Minneapolis start hunger strike

Community members are demanding action to shut down a trash-burning plant in north Minneapolis.

Neighbors who live close to Hennepin County Energy Recovery Center are so concerned that some are now taking the drastic step of going on a hunger strike.

Protesters gathered at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis on Friday for a news conference about the effort. 

As of Friday afternoon, four people are participating in the strike, meaning they plan to consume nothing but water. They're demanding that the county shut down the HERC.

In 2023, Hennepin County officials passed a resolution saying the facility will be closing between 2028 and 2040. Protesters want additional action to ensure there's an exact date. Some have even gone inside the government building to try to get the attention of county commissioners.

People participating in the strike are working with doctors as they take the drastic step.

"Our neighborhoods are not a dumping ground. Our lungs are not collateral. Our lives are not negotiable," Joshua Lewis, who is participating in the hunger strike, said.

The county recently passed a resolution to work towards repurposing the garbage-burning facility, saying they legally can't rely on landfills alone. Officials cited the 12-year window to close it in the resolution. Residents say the timeline is too vague and too long to wait.