Dakota County is currently drafting its solid waste management plan. This plan is required by the state and is updated every six years. The plan will guide waste management within Dakota County over the next 20 years. It will include strategies to:
Public comment period complete
Public comment on the draft Solid Waste Management Plan (2024-2044) closed on Aug. 21. Thank you to everyone who provided their comments.
Planned project schedule
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Fall 2023: Gathered stakeholder input on solid waste issues, barriers and solutions - round 1 Engagement Findings Report - Round 1
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January 2024: State finalized Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan with prescribed strategies for metropolitan counties to include in revised county plans
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April 2024: Gathered stakeholder input on potential strategy approaches - round 2 Engagement Findings Report - Round 2
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Summer 2024: Staff drafted county plan based on policy plan requirements and stakeholder feedback and provided public comment period Aug. 1–21. Comments will be shared with the Dakota County Board as they consider next steps for the plan.
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October 2024: Approval form the Dakota County Board to submit plan to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for final approval.
County generated more than 524,000 tons of waste in 2022
The Solid Waste Management Plan will provide the county with ways to prevent waste and improve how it is managed. It will also guide us in how we work with residents, businesses and other partners to meet state goals. In 2022, residents and businesses in the county generated 524,111 tons of waste. The county's recycling rate was 55 percent, lower than the state's goal of a 75 percent recycling rate by 2030.
The annual recycling report provides progress on implementing Dakota County's current 2018-2038 Solid Waste Master Plan.