County Ordinance 110 Solid Waste Management includes recycling and waste management requirements designed to reduce waste going to landfills, improve the quality of materials recycled, and make progress toward the state's goal to recycle 75 percent of waste by 2030.
Requirements include the adoption of a standardized, 
Designated List of Recyclables that everyone must recycle, including residents, businesses, schools and government. In addition, residential care facilities that generate organics (food scraps) must collect a Designated List of Organics for proper management (e.g., commercial composting). Standardizing the basic items that we recycle and collect for organics — no matter where you live in Dakota County or the hauler you have — benefits everyone.
Who is responsible?
Property owners and managers of multifamily properties with four or more attached residential units such as apartments, condominiums, townhomes and independent senior living, with a common waste contract are responsible for complying with these requirements.
Requirements
Multifamily Compliance Brochure
Have recycling service
Contract with a trash hauler for recycling collection services, or self-haul recyclables to a recycling facility. Recycling containers must have a capacity equivalent to at least 0.1 cubic yard per week for each dwelling unit.
Recycling containers must be large enough to collect all recyclables. Work with your hauler to increase service levels if carts or dumpsters are overflowing.
Recycle designated materials
Provide recycling containers in buildings and outdoors to collect the county's Designated List of Recyclables from employees and residents. Keep items on the 
Designated List of Contaminants out of recycling containers.
Co-locate recycling with trash containers
Wherever there is a trash container or chute, there must be a recycling container or chute within 10 feet in all common areas, such as lobbies, mail rooms, employee areas, laundry rooms, community rooms, gyms and outdoor spaces. Recycling containers must be large enough to collect all recyclables and not overflowing.
Label containers
Label each indoor and outdoor recycling and trash container with standardized labels according to County Labeling Requirements. Replace labels if they become damaged, unreadable or when images or text conflict with county label requirements.
Waste haulers are responsible for labeling the carts and dumpsters they provide.
Provide recycling education
Provide standardized recycling education at least once a year to each resident, employee, housekeeping and custodial contractor, and any other contractor who manages waste. Provide education to new residents, staff, and contractors within 30 days of move-in or new hire, and within 30 days of a major change to the recycling and waste program.
Education must follow County Education Requirements and be in print or electronic format. Multifamily properties must document and keep records of education activities.
Submit annual report
Report recycling program effectiveness, including education activities, to the county each year. The county will notify multifamily properties when the reporting requirement goes into effect and provide a report form.
Organics requirements for some multifamily properties
By Jan. 1, 2024, residential care buildings that contract to collect at least eight cubic yards (one ton) of trash per week and generate food scraps from their back-of-house operations (i.e., pre-consumption food waste from kitchen prep areas, dishwashing and storage areas but not food that has been served to the public) must have organics collection in place.
Have food scraps collection service
Contract with a trash hauler or permitted livestock animal feeder or manufacturer for organics collection services. Work with your service provider to increase service levels if organics carts or dumpsters are overflowing.
Collect food scraps from back-of-house areas
Provide containers in back-of-house areas that are large enough to collect all food scraps without overflowing or result in food scraps being placed in recycling or trash containers. Only an incidental amount of food scraps may be disposed of in a garbage disposal.
Keep items on the Designated List of Contaminants out of organics containers.
Label containers
Label organics containers with standardized labels according to County Labeling Requirements. Replace labels if they become damaged, unreadable or when images or text conflict with county label requirements.
Waste haulers are responsible for labeling all carts and dumpsters they provide.
Provide standardized organics education
Provide standardized organics program education at least once a year to each employee, resident, housekeeping and custodial contractor, and any other contractor that is responsible for sorting, collecting or managing organics. Also provide standardized organics education within 30 days of a new hire or tenant and within 30 days of a major change to the organics collection program.
Standardized education must follow County Education Requirements and be in print or electronic format. Multifamily properties must document and keep records of education activities.
Submit annual report
Report organics program effectiveness, including education activities, to the county annually. The county will notify multifamily properties when this goes into effect and provide a report form.
Resources
Dakota County offers resources to help with compliance through the Multifamily Recycling Program.
Get the latest news on multifamily recycling resources by signing up for the e-news for property managers.