Event Recycling: Dakota County provides free event resources to support recycling and food scraps collection at your event.

Business Recycling Program: Businesses in Dakota County are required to recycle. Eligible businesses can receive funding to help reduce waste and start or improve recycling or food scraps collection. No match required. All businesses can get technical assistance, free container labels and educational resources.

School Recycling Program: Every day, Minnesota public schools generate an estimated 500,000 pounds of waste — with nearly 80 percent of it recyclable or compostable. Dakota County has recycling requirements for public and private schools. In addition, certain schools have requirements for organics collection. Grants are available to help prevent wasted food, reduce waste, improve recycling and food scraps collection, and educate students and staff. Request free recycling education performances, field trips, container labels and activity guides through the County's school recycling programs.

Environmental Education Resources: Residents, businesses, schools and organizations are welcome to use free article templates, handouts, activity kits and more to educate about recycling, food scraps, household hazardous waste and waste prevention. Check out the County's educational resources for everyone.

Multifamily Residential Recycling: Dakota County requires all business entities to recycle including multifamily properties like apartments, townhomes, condominiums and senior living facilities. Multifamily property owners and managers are responsible for ensuring collection and hauling services are provided to tenants.

Multifamily residential buildings with four or more attached residential units and a common waste contract must meet collection and recycling requirements identified in City Code 5.1, including:

• 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. Work with your hauler to increase service levels if carts or dumpsters are overflowing.
• Collect designated materials: Provide recycling containers in buildings and on grounds to collect Dakota County’s Designated Recyclables from employees and residents.
• Locate recycling containers with trash containers: Wherever there is a trash container or chute, there must be a recycling container or chute within 10 feet on all outdoor grounds and in all common areas. Recycling containers must be large enough to collect all recyclables, and not overflowing.
• Label containers: Label each indoor and outdoor container according to Dakota County labeling requirements. Replace labels if they become damaged, unreadable or if text or images conflict with county label requirements.
• Provide recycling education: Deliver standardized recycling education at least once a year to residents, employees and contractors who manage waste. Provide education to new residents, staff and contractors within 30 days of move-in or hire and within 30 days of a substantial change to the waste and recycling program. Education must cover what and how to recycle in accordance with requirements listed on Dakota County’s website.