Duluth, MN Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Mandatory service
- Licensed collector required, 4 units or fewer
- Container standard
- Covered, sized to hold all recyclables
- Prohibited mixing
- No solid waste, manure or dead animals in bin
- Enforcement
- Solid waste compliance officer, § 24-8
- Materials list set by
- WLSSD regulation
- Maximum fine
- $1,000 general penalty, § 1-7
Summary
Duluth Legislative Code §§ 24-17 and 24-19 require every owner of a residential structure with four or fewer units to arrange recyclables collection through a licensed collector, and require every dwelling or business to keep a covered, adequately sized recycling receptacle on site. Mixing other solid waste, manure or dead animals into a recycling container is separately prohibited.
It shall be the duty of the owner of every residential structure containing four or less dwelling units to provide for the disposal of all solid waste and the collection of recyclables generated by such dwelling units through employment of the services of a licensed collector. ... It shall be the duty of the owner of every dwelling or place of business in the city to provide or cause to be provided and ... to keep and maintain in good condition containers or other suitable receptacles of sufficient size and design to contain all of the recyclable materials that shall from time to time accumulate upon such premises. If any such containers or receptacles are kept outside of the building, the same shall be covered in such manner as to prevent any portion of the contents from being blown or scattered therefrom or exposed to weather. All recyclable materials which accumulate upon such premises shall be placed in such containers or receptacles. No person shall place any other solid waste, manure, or dead animals in such receptacles or containers.
Full Breakdown
Section 24-17(a) makes recycling collection mandatory, not optional: the owner of every residential structure of four or fewer dwelling units must arrange for "the collection of recyclables generated by such dwelling units through employment of the services of a licensed collector," while owners of larger residential buildings or of commercial and industrial properties must either hire a licensed collector or run their own qualifying collection service. " Only recyclables may go in that container: § 24-19 bars placing "any other solid waste, manure, or dead animals in such receptacles or containers," and receptacles must sit in a location "readily accessible to the collector" during scheduled collection hours.
The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) sets the list of qualifying materials by regulation, and container specifications must also conform to WLSSD rules. The solid waste compliance officer, established under § 24-8, inspects containers and investigates complaints about collection service, and a licensed collector who finds a property without service must report it so the officer can secure compliance. Two adjoining dwelling units may share one account under narrow conditions in § 24-17(c), but recycling itself is not optional for any occupied residential or commercial property in the city.
Violations & Fines
Failing to arrange licensed recyclables collection or to maintain a covered receptacle under §§ 24-17 and 24-19 is enforced by the solid waste compliance officer, who investigates reports from licensed collectors and can order compliance. Without a chapter-specific fine printed for these sections, a violation defaults to the general penalty of Duluth Legislative Code § 1-7: up to $1,000, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recycling mandatory for Duluth homes?
What container do I need for recycling in Duluth?
Can I put regular trash in my recycling bin?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Duluth
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