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, certain businesses that generate organics (food scraps) must collect them 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?
The property owner and manager of commercial buildings and properties are responsible for complying with the following requirements.
Recycling requirements
The recycling requirements are in effect for all businesses and organizations.
Business Compliance Brochure
Have recycling service
Contract with a trash hauler for recycling collection services, or self-haul recyclables to a recycling facility. Work with your hauler to increase service levels if carts or dumpsters are overflowing.
Recycle designated materials
Provide recycling containers in buildings and on grounds to collect and recycle the county's Designated List of Recyclables and keep items on the Designated List of Contaminants out of the recycling containers.
Co-locate recycling containers with trash containers
Wherever there is a trash container, there must be a recycling container within 10 feet. Recycling containers must be large enough to collect all recyclables in the building and on grounds, and not overflowing.
Label containers
All recycling and trash containers on building grounds, both indoors and outdoors, must be labeled according to County Labeling Requirements. Replace labels if they become damaged, unreadable, or if text or images conflict with county label standards.
Waste haulers are responsible for labeling all carts and dumpsters they provide.
Provide recycling education
Provide standardized recycling education annually to each employee, tenant and housekeeping and custodial contractor, and any other contractor that is responsible for sorting, collecting or managing recycling. Also provide education within 30 days of a new hire or new tenant, and within 30 days of a substantial change to the waste and recycling program.
Standardized education must follow County Education Requirements and be in print or electronic format. Businesses must document and keep records of education activities.
Submit annual recycling report
Report recycling program effectiveness, including education activities, to the county each year.
The county will notify businesses when the reporting requirement goes into effect and provide a report form.
Organics requirements for businesses
Businesses are required to collect organics from back-of-house areas, such as pre-consumption food waste from kitchen prep areas, dishwashing and storage areas, but not food that has been serviced to the public.
Affected business sectors and when requirements go into effect
Effective by Jan. 1, 2022:
- Food wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers
- Grocery stores
Effective by Jan. 1, 2023:
Effective by Jan. 1, 2024:
- Office buildings with dining services
- Hotels
- Farmers markets
- Food shelves and food banks
- Restaurants
- Shopping centers
- Golf clubs and country clubs
- Public/rentable commissaries or kitchens
- Nursing and residential care facilities
- Sports venues, event centers and caterers
-
Large event venues with organics
There are three main options for managing organic waste properly:
- Commercial composting: Food waste is processed into compost, a valuable soil amendment
- Food to people: Edible food is donated to organizations that help people in need
- Food to animals: Food scraps are processed into feed for livestock
Organics requirements
Business Organics Compliance Brochure
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, tenant, 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 new 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. Businesses must document and keep records of education activities.
Submit annual report
Report organics program effectiveness, including education activities, to Dakota County each year. The county will notify owners and managers when the reporting requirement goes into effect and provide a report form.
Resources
Go to the
Funding & Resources page for information on resources to help with compliance.