Dakota County, MN Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Recycling
- Mandatory countywide (Ord. 110)
- Who
- Residents, business, multifamily, schools
- Designated List
- Set by County Board, posted online
- How
- Loose in cart, no plastic bags
- State goal
- Recycle 75% of waste by 2030
Summary
All Dakota County residents, businesses, multifamily properties, schools, and governments must recycle a designated list of materials, and every licensed hauler must accept them. The Designated List of Recyclables is set by the County Board and posted online. Recycling supports Minnesota's goal to recycle 75% of waste by 2030.
County Board of Commissioners and published by the Department on the Dakota County Website that represents the minimum haulers must accept and generators must recycle. Generators, facilities and haulers will have six months to implement any changes after it is published.
"DISASTER" means a situation that creates an actual or imminent serious threat to the health and safety of
persons, or a situation that has resulted or is likely to result in catastrophic loss to property or the environment, and for which traditional sources of relief and assistance within the affected area are unable to repair or prevent the injury or loss.
"DURABLE COMPOSTABLE BAG" means a bag used to co-collect organics with mixed municipal solid waste for the purposes of separating the organics for composting or anaerobic digestion. The durable compostable bags must meet ASTM standards D6400 or D6868 and be sufficiently durable to contain the organics through the collection and separation process.
"EMBARGO" means a written order issued by the department prohibiting the movement, removal, transport,
disposal, treatment, sale, or use of any material which is or is suspected to be a solid waste and which is being mismanaged or which the department has reason to suspect is being or will be managed in violation of this ordinance.
Full Breakdown
Dakota County Ordinance 110 (Solid Waste Management) makes recycling mandatory countywide. The ordinance establishes a Designated List of Recyclables - approved by the County Board of Commissioners and published on the county website - that represents the minimum haulers must accept and generators must recycle. This applies to residents, businesses, multifamily properties (with separate designated lists for recyclables and for organics/food scraps), schools, event venues, and government. Residents place accepted materials (paper, cardboard, cartons, metal cans, glass bottles, and plastics #1, #2, #5) loose in the recycling cart - not in plastic bags. Containers must be labeled per Section 16.06. Statewide, Minn. Stat. 115A requires metro counties to ensure recycling opportunities are available to residents.
Violations & Fines
Failure to recycle the designated list, or a hauler failing to accept it, violates Ordinance 110 and is a misdemeanor (Sec. 2242); the county may issue citations, each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recycling required in Dakota County?
Should I bag my recyclables?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dakota County
Compare Dakota County to another location·View the Minnesota trash & recycling overview
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