Olmsted County, MN Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Ch. 3500 § 3503.02
- Lawful options
- mulch, backyard compost, or haul to Permitted Site
- Yard Waste definition
- leaves, lawn cuttings, garden waste only
- Excludes
- tree and brush waste (§ 3502.82)
- Rochester curbside
- same day as trash, by quadrant
- Criminal penalty
- up to $1,000 fine, 90 days jail
Summary
Olmsted County requires residents to keep Yard Waste out of the trash under Ch. 3500 § 3503.02: mulch it back into the lawn, compost it on site, or haul it, yourself or through a licensed hauler, to a permitted composting or anaerobic-digestion site.
Yard Waste and Recyclable Materials, as defined in this Ordinance, shall be excluded from Mixed Municipal Solid Waste. ... To avoid disposal with Mixed Municipal Solid Waste, Generators must ensure that Yard Waste is managed in one of three ways: 1. by mulching it and returning it to the lawn, 2. by composting it on site (i.e., at a “backyard” Compost site), or 3. by source separating it and transporting it to a Permitted Site, either by self-hauling or by contract with a Commercial Hauler for the purpose of composting or anaerobic digestion.
Full Breakdown
82 as garden waste, leaves, and lawn cuttings but not tree or brush waste, so it never reaches the regular trash stream: mulch it and return it to the lawn, compost it on-site at a 'backyard' compost site, or source-separate it and transport it, either by self-hauling or under contract with a Commercial Hauler, to a Permitted Site for composting or anaerobic digestion. Once Yard Waste is aggregated for collection it must sit in a storage container that is 'easily distinguishable' from a Mixed Municipal Solid Waste can, and it can never be recombined with regular trash.
Ownership follows the same chain the county sets for recyclables: the Generator keeps title until a Commercial Hauler picks it up, at which point title passes to the hauler until delivery to the Permitted Site, where it becomes the site owner's property. 03: Monday and Tuesday for the southeast and northeast quadrants, Wednesday for the southwest quadrant, and Thursday and Friday for the northwest quadrant, unless a municipality's organized-collection contract sets its own day. 01 ties the requirement back to state law, explaining that separating Yard Waste supports the County's permitted Compost Facilities and helps meet the state-mandated recycling goal, and that Yard Waste must go to a permitted Compost Facility whenever on-site composting is not practiced.
This chapter governs waste hauling and disposal countywide; it is separate from the county's zoning authority, which under Ch. 04 reaches only Eyota, Marion, Oronoco and Quincy townships.
Violations & Fines
A Yard Waste violation runs through the same enforcement path as the rest of Chapter 3500. Under Section 3511.01, Environmental Resources and the County Attorney can charge a misdemeanor, fine up to $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail, issue a civil Notice of Violation under the Chapter 4000 Administrative Enforcement and Appeals Ordinance, or pursue a civil claim in court, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put grass clippings and leaves in my regular trash in Olmsted County?
Does 'Yard Waste' include tree branches and brush?
Who owns yard waste once I set it out for pickup?
What day does Olmsted County collect yard waste in Rochester?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Olmsted County
Compare Olmsted County to another location·View the Minnesota trash & recycling overview
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