Plymouth, MN Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Plymouth City Code § 600.27
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor
- Who may remove set-out recyclables
- Only City Manager or City's contractor
- Exception
- Owner may give/sell own recyclables to a lawful program
Summary
In the City of Plymouth, City Code Section 600.27 makes it unlawful for anyone except the City Manager or the City's recycling contractor to collect, remove or dispose of recyclable materials once they have been set out for collection. Scavenging recyclables from a curb or alley is a misdemeanor, though the section leaves room for people to give or sell their own recyclables to a lawful recycling program.
Subd. 1.Prohibited Conduct. It is unlawful for a person to collect, remove, or dispose of Recyclable Materials after the materials have been placed or deposited for collection, unless the City Manager or the City's contractor has authorized the person to do so. Subd. ... 3.Penalty. A violation of this Subsection is a Misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
25 and protects the material once it hits the curb. Subdivision 1 bars any person from collecting, removing or disposing of recyclable materials after they have been placed or deposited for collection, unless the City Manager or the City's recycling contractor has authorized that person to take them; that reaches anyone picking through a neighbor's recycling bin or driving a route to grab cans and bottles ahead of the licensed truck. Subdivision 2 carves out an exception for the property owner: nothing in the section stops a person from giving or selling their own recyclable materials to any lawfully operated recycling program, or stops a lawful recycling program from operating in the City, subject to whatever license the City otherwise requires. 29 uses for a fourth multifamily recycling violation.
Violations & Fines
Removing cans, bottles, cardboard or other recyclables that a resident has already set at the curb or in an alley for collection, without authorization from the City Manager or the City's recycling contractor, violates Section 600.27, Subdivision 1, and is charged as a misdemeanor under Subdivision 3. Giving or selling your own recyclables to a licensed recycling program is not a violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to take recyclables from someone's bin in Plymouth?
What's the penalty for scavenging recyclables in Plymouth?
Can I give my own recyclables to a charity or program in Plymouth?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Plymouth
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Recycling Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Hennepin County handle recycling rules.