The MPCA's Tools for local government page has 23 recycling BMPs (best management practices) grouped into “good,” “better” and “best.” The goal of implementing a mix of these BMPs is to make a more effective, economical, and environmentally friendly recycling system in your city, be it city-run or hauler-run. Documents to help cities adopt these actions are license templates, a hauler services agreement template, and three Request for Proposal frameworks.
Recycling at your business (and at multi-family housing) provides MPCA guidance for all cities, and specifically Twin-City-area businesses required to recycle under MN law. On the "Resources for cities and counties" subpage see the Minneapolis ordinance for recycling at commercial buildings and a study for the city of St. Louis Park, which has a multi-family recycling ordinance. Coon Rapids also conducted a successful study and pilot on how to increase recycling at multi-unit residences, which led to a short-lived 2017 commercial recycling ordinance requiring, for multi-units with centralized collection, equal-sized trash & recycling containers placed side-by-side, picked-up with equal frequency at least weekly, and recycling containers for each household.
In 2015 the Urban Sustainability Directors Network developed, under Commercial Waste Scan, a tool that prioritizes commercial strategies appropriate to your city, in service of developing a commercial waste diversion plan.
Transforming Trash in Urban America (Partnership for Working Families: 2013) presents elements of sustainable recycling to create trash management systems that fight climate change, create family-sustaining jobs, and support strong local economies and healthy communities.
Require by license (and ideally also ordinance) the provision of recycling services in multi-unit residential buildings; city recycling collection from commercial businesses; report implementation of at least 3 "good" recycling Best Management Practices (e.g., email/text recycling reminders). Note that pre-2018 organized collection entries are listed under this action, and that post-2017 organized collection entries are under 22.7
Report the city recycling rate prominently on the city's web site (by only licensing haulers that report their data); provide as requested larger carts/2nd recycling container at no added cost to resident; collect co-mingled fiber/containers; report implementation of 3 “better” recycling BMPs; in greater MN, require collection of recyclables from commercial entities.
Require that each tenant in multi-unit housing is provided a recycling container for their unit; assure multi-unit recycling during routine city building inspections; report implementation of 3 “best” recycling BMPs.
Who's doing it
Burnsville - 3 star
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2021
Implementation details:
Burnsville updated City Code in 2019 to require all multifamily units to provide recycling service at a capacity of one-tenth (0.1) cubic yards per week per dwelling unit. Additionally, the Code requires owners and managers of multifamily units must: ensure designated recyclables are collected for recycling,
ensure that the collection schedule and container capacity are sufficient to contain all the recyclables collected and organics (if collected) from the building and public spaces and to prevent overflowing containers, ensure all trash collection contains or collection chutes are co-located within ten (10') feet from a recycling container or recycling chute.
Dakota Valley Recycling, the recycling Department for Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eagan, and Lakeville does direct outreach to multifamily units in Burnsville, provides containers for recycling in the unit, and provides education and messaging on recycling.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
As of late 2022, Dakota Valley Recycling had provided direct outreach and education to over 50 multifamily buildings in Burnsville.
City Code requires all residential households and every multi-unit residence to offer recycling options to residents. All licensed haulers in the city must provide reports for multi-unit recycling and trash rates on a monthly basis.
Coon Rapids is divided into five zones for trash and recycling collection. This limits the number of trucks on the road and assists City function of plowing and sweeping streets.
Coon Rapids operates a residential recycling drop off center providing options for recycling household items that cannot be recycled curbside including carpet, tires, used oil, fluorescent bulbs and more. In 2013, Coon Rapids began collecting organic materials from residents at the recycling drop off center. Materials included all household food waste and non-recyclable paper products.
The City contracts with both Allied Waste and Randys in order to: decrease the number of garbage trucks on the roads, ensure waste is being processed at the RDF facility, to save the residents money the city enters into five-year agreements, and the city stipulates recycling opportunities such as single-stream and organics.
The City of Fridley has organized recycling collection. Households can request an increase from a 65-gallon cart to a 96-gallon cart for no additional charge.
The City also provides for recycling at apartments less than 13 units under the Municipal recycling contract. Apartments with 13 or more units are required to provide recycling under City ordinance. Rental inspection staff confirms recycling during visits.
In 2015, the City began focusing recycling education efforts on multi-family units. Using Anoka County grants and SCORE funding, the City provides apartment managers with outreach material and ensures that all recycling and garbage dumpsters are appropriately signed.
The City implements 7 "good" BMPs
(Mandatory separation of residential recyclables
Areas for trash and recycling containers at multi-unit and commercial buildings
Recycling information/instructions
E-mail/text reminders of recycling day
Recycling in multi-unit residential buildings
Community message board
Community newsletters)
The City implements 3 "better" BMPs
Data reporting from haulers
Additional city staffing
Expanded container space; carts; single-stream
Hopkins City Code 605.03, subd 2, a, b, states that all residential (single family through tri-plexes), multi family (four plexes and up) and commercial properties separate recyclables from refuse and have it collected in a manner designated by the City. Residential household recycling collection is provided by the City through a contract with a licensed recycling hauler. Residential household recycling is collected single stream every other week on the same day that refuse collection takes place.
Hopkins has also been ranked as one of the top five cities for pounds of recycling collected per
household by Hennepin County. Hopkins owns and operates its own residential refuse collection in addition to contracting for residential recycling collection.The City is divided into four routes with collection taking place Monday through Thursday.Refuse is collected weekly and recycling is collected every other week the same day as refuse collection.
Residential households do not have the option to opt out of City provided services.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The participation rate for Hopkins’ residential recycling households in 2011 was 98.84%.
In 2011 Hopkins recycling rate was 36.4%.
Since 2002 the City’s refuse disposal tonnage has decreased 31.6%, which has saved our residents a considerable amount of tipping fees.
The city has entered a contract, and mandates payment from residents for said contract, with Waste Management of Minnesota for collection of refuse and recycling. This mandate is enforced for all properties listed as "residential" which includes multi-unit apartment buildings. This contract and mandate does not have any opt-out option, residents are automatically billed for both refuse and recycling collection. This contract is enacted from 2012-2017, when it will be renewed. Along the lines of waste reduction, the city also has a compost collection site for lawn, tree (branches and sticks), and garden waste that is open from April through October.
Instituted a recycling center at city hall to accommodate the recycling of small electronics, printers, batteries etc. 1/8/2016
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The city contract with Waste management provides for free recycling of bottles, cans, and paper products and free curbside pickup recyclables twice a month. Waste Management has provided larger recycling bins for each resident and increased and has implemented a single sort recycling system. This new program has increased the variety of items that can be recycled including mixed plastics 1-7. Waste Management has further agreed with the city to exchange large garbage containers for smaller garbage containers at no cost and to reflect thesavings in the bills to residents. The mayor advised the residents of this new recycling effort in the city newsletter and encouraged residents to recycle more and save more on garbage hauling fees. The process of educating and encouragement for recycling is an ongoing task that we promote in our newsletter.
The City of Lexington has 4 licensed haulers that operate in the city. They are required per city ordinance (chapter 6) to provide at no additional cost recycling containers for all residents. This included multi-unit housing & businesses. Trash is picked up weekly and recycling every two weeks. Our haulers also offer, for a fee, the option of yard waste containers. We participate in additional recycling with Green Lights Recycling to offer our residents additional ways to dispose of items. We mail out yearly a county recycling guide that has coupons for 4 free items 6 times a year that normally have a fee associated with them.
Every spring Lexington has a Clean Up Day , we also dedicate 1/4 of every newsletter to recycling information.
On November 28, 2011, the Maplewood City Council voted to organize the City's residential trash hauling. The City previously had an organized recycling system and an open hauling trash system with nine residentially licensed trash haulers. Maplewood was the first City in 20 years to organize trash hauling under the old Solid Waste Management Statute. Because of Maplewood's experience organizing under the old statute which required cities to adopt a resolution of intent to organize just to begin a study, the Solid Waste Management Statute was amended to create a more fair and equitable system for cities to study their solid waste programs. Maplewood's organized trash hauling rolled out in October 2012 with Republic Services as the single-hauler, contract ending December 2017. Maplewood supplies the trash carts in our trash hauling system. The trash carts come in four different sizes. Based on a review of Maplewood's open hauling trash rates versus our organized rates, Maplewood residents are saving $1.6 million per year compared to actual rates and $1 million per year compared to advertised rates. This equals a savings of 50% to 75% on most resident's previous open hauling trash bill. In addition, Maplewood's organized trash has reduced truck traffic, reduced emissions, and has helped the City better manage its solid waste.
The Maplewood Trash Collection Plan will begin on October 1, 2012, with Allied Waste Services contracted to collect trash from all single-family residential homes (four units or less).
There is no opt out options for residents if they want to choose a different residential trash haulers. Residents can opt out of the residential program if they can prove they dispose of their waste at a place of employment or a if they want to share service with their neighbor.
Link to Maplewood Recycling:
http://www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/index.aspx?NID=1018
The City provides no-sort recycling services at 163 apartments. Recycling education posters have been placed on containers to reduce garbage contamination. The City has recognized keys to success in apartments: 1) apartment managers who are actively involved, 2) continued education and awareness, and 3) making it more convenient to recycle by improving access to recycling bins. City goal: increase apartment recycling to 20% of total tonnage. It was 10.7% as of 11/20/17.
With the help of a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the City of Moorhead has conducted a six-month Commercial No-Sort Recycling Pilot Program. The City Council will come to a decision in May 2019 about whether to continue this service.
-The City adopted a revised ordinance on 8/18/2015 which mandates collection of recyclables from multi-unit residential buildings and requires garbage haulers to the report city recycling rate.
-The City has organized garbage and recycling collection for all residential properties which provides our residents with cost trash/ recycling collection savings and decreased truck traffic. The trucks used in our community use compressed natural gas.
The City of Royalton contract with Waste Manangement to pick up solid waste and provide recycling for its residents. Residents can choose from bags to carts for their garbage and recycling is made easy because the residents do not have to separate the recyclables. The city publishes the dates for garbage and recycling pick up in its newsletter and on its web site. www.royaltonmn.com
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The City of Royalton partners with Waste Management to ensure that every household in the city has garbage and recycling pick up. Waste Management provides the carts/bags and the city does the billing. Waste Management sets the route to be sure to use the most efficient/gas saving route for pick up.
City can provide tons of recycling and solid waste collected for many years. City of St. Louis Park has been hiring one contractor/citywide recycling and garbage collection for over 35 years.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
number of tons collected - solid waste and recycling
number of participants - recycling
The City of Sherburn contracts with Waste Manangement to pick up solid waste and provide recycling for its residents. Residents can choose from different sized carts for their garbage and recycling. Recycling is made easy because the residents do not have to separate the recyclables.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The City of Sherburn partners with Waste Management to ensure that every household in the city has garbage and recycling pick up. Waste Management provides the carts and they also do the billing.
Cottage Grove is committed to reducing, reusing and recycling products in our community. All residential trash haulers must provide weekly curbside recycling service in addition to trash pickup.
The City of Cottage Grove has three licensed trash haulers that are also required to offer recycling pick up. Licensed haulers empty recycling bins placed next to the curbside in conjunction with trash pickup.
Cottage Grove believes recycling and conservation are important. Promoting recycling has been part of many community events through activities, educational materials, and appearances by Freckles, the Recycling and Recreation Frog.
Washington County Public Health and Environment Recycling and Yard Waste provides a recycling facility in Woodbury. Cottage Grove Recycling Program promotes residents to utilize the recycling services provided by Washington County.
The City of Cottage Grove also sponsors a "Spring Clean-up Day" for residents to dispose of hazardous materials, household applicances and itmes that are not generally accepted from local trash haulers licensed by the City of Cottage Grove.
Waste Management provides recycling for multi-unit dwellings, and owners of multiunit dwellings are required to provide removal of solid wast and recyclables (Legislative Code 24-17 (a)).
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links:
For more information contact:
Alex Jackson, Energy Coordinator (City staff) | ajackson@DuluthMN.gov | 218-730-4433
Chapter 9, Section 9.01 requires that recycling services be provided in multifamily, Office, Industrial, and Commercial Zoning Districts. Refer to the code section for detailed information.
Edina has had an organized, mandatory city-wide residential recycling program since 1989. Collection of recyclables from multi-unit residential buildings of 8 units or less is mandatory and is offered for the same cost as single family households.
In March of 2019, an organics recycling program was approved for the City of Edina. In November 2019, Edina's City Council adopted an ordinance to include organics collection service rates and charges and in February 2020, the City hired its first Organics Recycling Coordinator.
In June of 2020, our organics recycling program introduced curbside pick-up as an option to homeowners and landlords. In 2023, the City plans to continue expanding the program with the hope of increasing participation among multi-family residents. Currently, multiple drop-sites are present around the city and made available to residents (free of cost), including those in multi-family housing and those who have not opted for curbside pick-up services.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Since the organics recycling program's launch in June of 2020, more than 2,939.68 tons of waste has been diverted from landfills (Dec. 2022).
The City has: 1.) Organized and standardized the collection of residential recyclable materials and, 2.) The City works with 3 garbage haulers whom are required to follow the City's organized collection schedule (Tuesdays & Fridays each week as of 12/28/15), the City recycling rates are reported (80% at present using Dick's waste and recycling services) and mandates the collection of recyclables from multi-unit residential buildings.
Although haulers do not use compressed natural gas, nor is it favored or required as a license condition, the city can estimate savings to residents by way of a reduction in wear on city streets. This is due to a waste pickup schedule implemented in order to better organize the city's 3 waste haulers.
Golden Valley has provided a curbside recycling service since 1987 to all single and multiple family residences of four units or less. Garbage haulers must follow the City organized schedule. Owners of multifamily dwellings containing more than four units are required to provide a recycling collection service for a minimum of every other week collection, collection must include all materials collected in the City’s curbside recycling program (Section 6.35 Subdivision 11.C). Commercial and institutional entities are required to contract, through a licensed private hauler or the City, for recycling for a minimum of every other week collection (Section 6.35 Subdivision 11.B).
In 2017, the Environmental Commission plans to work with staff to update the City’s contract for recycling services, which expires in 2018.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
In 2016, 2,174.05 tons of materials were diverted to recycling through the City’s program.
The City organizes recycling collection. The contractor is Eureka Recycling (http://www.eurekarecycling.org/page.cfm?ContentID=30). Eureka Recycling is a not-for-profit recycling company with a mission to education people about waste reduction. Eureka Recycling also provides recycling collection for multi-family housing units within the City. In addition, City ordinance requires all recycling and waste collection be on the same day (Mondays).
The City of Mountain Iron provides curbside recycling for all residents and commercial properties within the City. The City also proves an area with recycling contains for recyclables to be dropped off at any time. Our refuse rate structure encourages the use of a smaller refuse container and recycling more materials free of charge properties are able to use the smaller cans and save money.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
We monitor the amount of refuse going to the land fill. The less we send to the land fill the more the City saves.
The City requires every business and residential household (including multi-family) to recycle per Chapter 24 of the City Code. Additionally, it requires every residential property to separate recyclables from solid waste.
Subs. 3. Residential Recycling. Residential Generators must ensure the segregation and delivery of, at
a minimum, newsprint, glass containers, corrugated cardboard, aluminum cans and aluminum scrap to a
Recycling Center, either by Self-Hauling or by contract with a licensed Commercial Hauler. Where owners
and/or managers of multi-unit residential buildings provide for Collection of Mixed Municipal Solid Waste,
central Collection locations for Recyclable Materials generated on its premises must also be provided.
In Section 244:30 subdivision two of St. Cloud's Code of Ordinances, it confirms that all refuse set out for disposal by
the owner or occupant of every dwelling unit, including multi-family dwellings, will be set out for disposal so that the following materials are separated from the refuse for recycling except if employed in the disposal of other refuse or if the material has been contaminated. The City has the rates for recycling and refuse posted on its website. There are also opportunities highlighted on St. Cloud's website to sign up for recycling reminders and notifications of changes in the collection schedule to increase awareness and accessibility of recycling information.
Saint Paul City Code Chapter 357, Section 357.09 mandates recycling. Multi-unit residential recycling collection is contracted with Eureka Recycling.
Furthermore, the City of Saint Paul has an open hauling trash collection system also known as “subscription service”. This means that waste generators (i.e., residents and business owners) contract directly with a waste hauler of their choice. The City of Saint Paul does license trash haulers and provides a list of licensed providers but does not provide or administer garbage collection services.
The city currently has 4 licensed garbage haulers which residents can choose from. All of these haulers offer recycling services as part of regular pickup services. The city requires removal and hauling of recyclables to occur at least every month.
The City has had an organized recycling collection program for a number of years. All single family and multi-family households are served by one contract and one hauler, currently Allied Waste. Allied Waste collects cardboard, glass, all plastics #1-#6, steel cans, juice boxes, newspaper and office paper, phone books, and plastic bags. All of these items and more are mandated within the contract to be picked up.
The City licenses garbage haulers and residents may choose their own. However, to prevent multiple trucks on multiple days, the garbage haulers follow the recycling contractor's "zones" so residents can put out their bins on the same day.
The City's recycling participation rate averaged 85% in 2012.
The City contracts with a recycling contractor to serve as the exclusive curbside collector of recyclable materials for single family, duplex, triplex, and fourplex residential dwellings. Section 660.07 of the City Code requires that all multi-family building and manufactured home communities contract with a recycling contractor who will remove recyclable materials by a licensed collector. The City Code requires the following materials be collected: paper (newspaper, corrugated cardboard, mixed mail, boxboard, telephone books, and/or magazine), glass, metal (steel and aluminum food and beverage cans), and plastics (plastic container with necks marked with a #1 or #2).
The City of Bloomington ordinance requires rental properties to have access to curbside recycling and garbage collection (Chapter Article VII, Division C. Regulations, Sec. 14.580 (f)). Furthermore, the City follows the International Code Council requirement for multi-unit dwellings to provide recycling collection.
The City of Bloomington follows the 2015 Minnesota Statute 115A.151 to ensure all commercial entities provide recycling collection of 3 or more recyclable materials. There will be more emphasis on education and enforcement in the future.
Otter Tail County has mobile collections of household hazardous waste in the county, but not within the City of Fergus Falls. There is a facility located within the city that is open daily in the winter and twice a week during the summer months.
Recycling is done in our community. The city has two locations for residents to take items to be recycled and it then it is taken to the local recycling plant which is in Hoffman and run by the local DAC.
Isanti’s Residential Property Maintenance Standards requires facilities for the storage and disposal of garbage and recyclables. All licensed haulers must offer curbside recycling for a minimum of 4 types of materials at least twice per month.
The city plans to implement recycling receptacles at all city facilities, to include receptacles within all parks in 2016.
Section 9-11 (k) (3) of the City Code requires that owners of residential bulidings containing eight or more dwelling units provide recycling services to residents.
The majority of New Hope businesses are required to recycle at least three types of materials. These materials can include paper, glass, plastic, metal, organics, or single-sort, with 3 or more materials included. The city ordinance complies with requirements set forth by state law (Minn. Stat. 115A.151).
In 2018, the city developed a Neighborhood Organized Trash Collection Guide. Residents who live on the same street, culdesac or neighborhood have the option of “self organizing” trash collection by arranging to use one hauler to collect trash within a specified area. Such efforts are initiated by neighborhood residents, not the city, and may result in reduced costs.
Residential recycling is encouraged as containers are provided free to all residents and information regarding what can/cannot be recycled is provided. Recycling is with one company through a city contract. Hauler rates for regular solid waste are published on the city web site.
Shakopee per (Ord. 893, 10-7-2014) requires the separation of recyclable materials from garbage. The zoning code (151.108 - #8) has specific space and licensed refuse collector requirements for garbage and recycling in multi-unit residential and commercial buildings; bulky items and yard waste are accepted for an additional charge either for one-time pickups or annual subscription. The Scott County Household Hazardous Waste Facilities also accepts bulk items and the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility accepts yard waste and other organics. The City provides solid waste reduction, reuse, and recycling information and instructions from Republic Services as well as the MPCA’s recycling information on its garbage and recycling page. Recycling is required per contract to be taken to Dem-Con Material Recovery.
The City reports its recycling rate, under its Garbage and Recycling page, based upon the data provided by Republic Services. Republic Services is the contracted City hauler for residential properties and has provided waste data including recycling totals per ton, recycling breakdowns per material (as a percentage of total waste and in tons per material), and waste collection of trash/recycling/yard waste in tons going back to 2017. In 2018, there was a slight reduction in recycling rates for 8 out of the 12 months and an overall reduction in compared to the year before; however, in 2019, there are 7 out of the 12 months where the recycling rates increase contributing to the overall increase of 5.38% from 2017. These trends are reflected in the decrease of the recycling breakdown in 2018 and increases in 2019. Republic Services also offers yard waste subscriptions and bulky item pickup upon request. The City employs a planner responsible for coordinating sustainability practices and policies as well as parks and recreation staff that manage day-to-day operation of recycling in public facilities.
Recycling containers are in public buildings, parks, and athletic facilities; multi-unit recycling containers are required as part of the building inspection process and information is posted by haulers in multi-unit residential dwellings.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The City of Shakopee has a participation rate of 96% in the recycling program.
In 2018, Shakopee collected 2,649.63 tons of recycling and 1,580.12 of yard waste in tons; in 2019, the amount of recyclable materials collected increased by 150.511 tons to 2,800.14 tons and yard waste collected increased by 557.71 tons to 2,137.83 which came out to a 5.38% and 26.09%, respectively, increase from the previous year.
The residents of Silver Bay have residential recycling bins that are collected and maintained by the city's local waste management team. The bins include plastic, aluminum, glass, and paper recycling. The city has also applied for a grant through Coke that would supply additional recycling bins throughout the community.
Two multi-unit properties located in the City were chosen as participants in a recycling pilot through the County in 2018. For those buildings, each resident was supplied with a recycling tote to hold their recyclables, a kitchen cling which detailed which items could be recycled, and an in-depth pamphlet with information on hazardous waste disposal, proper shredded paper disposal, and much more. Residents received totes in person by staff members from the city and Waste Wise, along with information from their building manager. Dumpsters at the locations were also labeled, and at one property, recycling containers were added to outdoor grilling areas. The pilot aimed to increase recycling at multi-unit dwellings within the city.
