St. Louis County, MN Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Ordinance No. 45, Article VI, Section 8.1
- Barred act
- Placing recyclables in mixed solid waste containers
- Hauler remedy
- May refuse collection, must notify occupant, Section 8.2
- License risk
- Repeated violations risk hauler license suspension, Article IX §1.5
- Administering agency
- Environmental Services Department
Summary
Ordinance No. 45 bars anyone from placing materials separated for recycling into containers meant for collection or disposal as mixed municipal solid waste. A hauler who finds recyclables in a trash container may refuse to collect it and must notify the occupant of the reason, keeping recyclables out of the county's landfill waste stream.
8.1 No Person or legal entity shall place in containers for Collection by a Hauler or for Disposal in a Solid Waste Facility any of the following materials: manure, Household Hazardous Waste, Hazardous Waste, pathological waste or Infectious Waste as these wastes are defined by state and federal regulations, materials separated for Recycling, tires, used motor oil, lead acid batteries, rechargeable or button batteries, Yard Waste, mercury or a thermostat, thermometer, electric switch, appliance or a medical or scientific instrument from which the mercury has not been removed for reuse or Recycling, or any other item specifically barred from the waste stream under Minnesota law. These items shall be otherwise Disposed of by a Person or legal entity in accordance with programs administered by the Environmental Services Department and with Minnesota law.
Full Breakdown
1 of Ordinance No. 45 lists 'materials separated for Recycling' among the items 'No Person or legal entity shall place in containers for Collection by a Hauler or for Disposal in a Solid Waste Facility,' alongside household hazardous waste, tires, used motor oil, lead acid batteries, and mercury-containing devices. The section requires that these diverted materials 'be otherwise Disposed of by a Person or legal entity in accordance with programs administered by the Environmental Services Department and with Minnesota law,' tying the county's recycling diversion directly to its own recycling programs rather than leaving it to a resident's discretion.
2 gives haulers a direct enforcement tool: 'When any Hauler finds any of the above-mentioned prohibited articles in Solid Waste containers to be collected, the Hauler may, at its option, refuse to collect the contents of the container. ' If a hauler chooses to collect the mixed load anyway, it 'must transport those articles to a place providing proper Disposal' rather than dumping the mixed load at a standard facility. 5.
Violations & Fines
Placing recyclable materials in a mixed municipal solid waste container violates Article VI, Section 8.1; a hauler may refuse pickup and must tell the occupant why under Section 8.2. Persistent violations by a hauler that ignores the sorting rule can trigger license suspension or revocation under Article IX, Section 1.5, and general noncompliance with the Ordinance is a misdemeanor under Section 3.3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put recyclables in my regular trash can in St. Louis County?
What happens if a hauler collects recyclables mixed with trash anyway?
Who runs the county's recycling diversion program?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Minnesota trash & recycling overview
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