Duluth, MN Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Curbside brush pickup
- Not provided; compost or haul only
- Allowed disposal
- Backyard compost site or compost facility
- Setback
- At least 15 feet from any dwelling
- Enclosure
- Rigid, animal-proof enclosure required
- Prohibited additions
- No manure or animal/food waste in compost
- Maximum fine
- $1,000 general penalty, § 1-7
Summary
Duluth does not run curbside yard waste pickup: Duluth Legislative Code § 24-29(b) bars dumping yard waste, tree branches or brush anywhere in the city except at a backyard compost site or a licensed yard waste compost facility, and § 24-30 sets the standards those backyard sites must meet.
No yard wastes, tree branches, brush or other vegetative wastes shall be thrown, left or deposited upon any lot, street, alley or tract of land within the city except at a back yard compost site or a yard waste compost facility. ... (a) Any person disposing of yard waste shall do so only at a back yard compost site or a yard waste compost facility; (b) Back yard compost sites shall be located in the rear yard, as defined in Chapter 50 of this Code, of the property and at least 15 feet from any dwelling; (c) Compost piles in back yard compost sites shall be enclosed with a rigid enclosure suitable to keep the enclosed compost from escaping and to keep animals out of the pile;
Full Breakdown
Chapter 24, Article IV treats yard waste as something residents must compost or haul to a facility, not something the city collects at the curb. " Section 24-30 then regulates the backyard option in detail. " Only yard waste and other vegetative material may go in; § 24-30(d) bars composting "animal wastes, manure, or petrusible animal or food matter" in the same pile, and § 24-30(e) prohibits running a site so it becomes infested with insects, rodents or other animals or produces offensive odors that disturb neighbors.
The alternative is a licensed "yard waste compost facility," which under § 24-2's definitions is operated by the WLSSD, a governmental unit, or a private permit holder under the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Because the ordinance defines "solid waste" to exclude yard waste, a resident cannot simply bag brush with the regular trash; it has to go to one of these two outlets.
Violations & Fines
Illegally dumped yard waste, brush or tree branches is enforced the same as other solid waste violations in Chapter 24, through the solid waste compliance officer and the city's general penalty in § 1-7: a fine of not more than $1,000, with each day the material remains deposited counted as a separate offense. A poorly maintained backyard compost pile that draws pests or odors under § 24-30(e) is subject to the same enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Duluth pick up yard waste at the curb?
How far from my house does a compost pile have to be?
Can I compost food scraps with my yard waste in Duluth?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Duluth
Compare Duluth to another location·View the Minnesota trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.