Minneapolis & Saint Paul apartment owners, asset managers, and on-site teams: your properties sit in one of the most aggressive recycling regions in the country. Between Hennepin County Ordinance 13, Ramsey County’s solid waste ordinance, and city-level multifamily rules, property managers are expected to provide residents with convenient, well-labeled recycling — with warnings, citations, misdemeanor charges, and potential civil penalties on the table when programs fall short.
Across Minneapolis and all Hennepin County cities, county ordinance requires that every multifamily building where a property manager coordinates collection for residents provide mixed recycling service, clearly labeled containers wherever trash is set out, and written resident education at move-in and at least annually. Saint Paul goes further for 5+ unit buildings, directly contracting recycling citywide so that all multi-unit properties (5+ units) have on-site service under Code of Ordinance 357.09, while Ramsey County’s ordinance backs that up with enforcement tools including misdemeanor penalties and, for certain solid-waste violations, civil fines up to $10,000 per day.
- Protect NOI & asset value: avoid enforcement actions, citations, and potential civil penalties by aligning enclosure layouts, labels, and education with Hennepin Ordinance 13 and the Saint Paul / Ramsey framework.
- Resident-first convenience: National Doorstep designs doorstep collection and enclosure setups that keep residents out of dirty, dim trash rooms while boosting participation and reducing contamination.
- Code-smart design: recycling and organics containers placed wherever trash is collected, labeled in county-standard colors, with clear visual instructions that match inspector expectations.
- Hands-off compliance: we coordinate with haulers, tap county multifamily recycling grants and environmental partnership programs, and maintain the documentation inspectors expect property managers to have on file.
At a Glance: City of Minneapolis & Hennepin County (All Cities)
City of Minneapolis (Inside City Limits)
- Mandate Type: Mandatory recycling service for multifamily properties, implemented through city code and Hennepin County Ordinance 13.
- Applicability Threshold: Applies to all “multifamily housing” where a property manager coordinates collection for residents (apartments, condos, townhomes, co-ops).
- Owner / Property Manager Duties: Provide mixed recycling service through a licensed hauler; ensure recycling containers are as conveniently located as trash; keep enclosures sanitary; and maintain sufficient service so recycling containers do not overflow.
- Education Duties: At move-in and at least annually, provide residents with written information on what to recycle, where to bring it, preparation rules, bulky item and hazardous waste options, and who to contact with questions.
- Container & Label Requirements: Wherever trash is collected in common areas, provide recycling bins side-by-side, clearly labeled with images and text. Labels must use blue for recycling, green for organics, and dark colors for trash under Ordinance 13.
- Key Minneapolis / Hennepin Links: Minneapolis Garbage & Recycling · Hennepin County Apartment Recycling · Hennepin Ordinance 13 – Recycling
All Other Hennepin County Cities
- Mandate Type: County-wide mandatory recycling for multifamily housing implemented through city ordinances required by Ordinance 13.
- Applicability Threshold: All multifamily buildings in Hennepin County where a property manager or association arranges waste service for residents must provide recycling service.
- Program Duties (Countywide): Enter into a recycling service agreement with a hauler; ensure mixed recyclables go to a materials recovery facility; provide adequate capacity in convenient locations; and maintain labeled containers where trash is collected in laundry rooms, mail areas, community rooms, and enclosures.
- Education & Self-Inspection: Property managers must maintain records of annual education and may be required to complete self-inspection forms and provide documentation to the county upon request.
- Hennepin Environmental Partnerships & Grants: Hennepin County offers multifamily recycling grants, technical assistance, and Apartment Recycling Champions / Green Partners environmental grants that function as environmental partnership agreements to improve on-site recycling and organics programs.
- How National Doorstep Helps: We design and operate valet trash & recycling programs that meet Ordinance 13 requirements, tap available county incentives, and keep your Hennepin County communities “inspection-ready.”
At a Glance: City of Saint Paul & Ramsey County
City of Saint Paul (5+ Unit Multi-Unit)
- Mandate Type: Mandatory on-site recycling service for multi-unit properties under Saint Paul Code of Ordinances 357.09.
- Applicability Threshold: Applies to multi-unit properties with 5 or more residential units. The city coordinates recycling collection for all households, including multi-unit buildings.
- Owner / Property Manager Duties: Ensure residents have on-site access to city-coordinated recycling service and garbage service (garbage through a private hauler for 5+ units). Maintain appropriate cart or dumpster capacity and keep collection areas clean and accessible.
- Program Support: City contracts with FCC Environmental for 5+ unit recycling, and offers posters, labels, multilingual resident handouts, and on-site technical support for multi-unit properties.
- Enforcement: Failure to provide or maintain recycling as required can be treated as a code violation under Section 357.09 and enforced through the city’s general penalty provisions (Section 1.05), which allow misdemeanor-level penalties.
- Key Saint Paul Links: Saint Paul Multi-Unit Collection · Saint Paul Legislative Code
Ramsey County & Regional Programs
- Mandate Type: County solid-waste ordinance requires proper management of mixed recyclables and garbage, supporting city-level recycling requirements and enforcement.
- Countywide Requirements: Properties must manage waste and recyclables in compliance with Ramsey County’s solid-waste ordinance and any applicable rules adopted by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy, including use of approved facilities and cooperation with inspections.
- BizRecycling Environmental Partnerships: Through the BizRecycling program, multi-unit properties in Ramsey County can receive up to $20,000 in grants, on-site assistance, and resident-facing tools to improve recycling, food scraps collection, and enclosure design.
- Enforcement & Penalties: Ramsey’s ordinance authorizes misdemeanor enforcement for violations and, for certain solid-waste violations, civil penalties up to $10,000 per day plus cost recovery and injunctive relief.
- How National Doorstep Helps: We help properties align with Saint Paul’s multi-unit rules and Ramsey County’s solid-waste expectations, while leveraging BizRecycling grants and technical assistance to fund better enclosures, carts, and resident education.
Hennepin County Cities & Apartment Recycling Mandates
Because of Hennepin County Ordinance 13, all cities in Hennepin County are required to adopt and enforce ordinances that make mixed recycling service mandatory at multifamily buildings where a property manager coordinates collection for residents. Local codes vary in how detailed they are, but the underlying county requirements apply countywide.
| City | Apartment Recycling Mandate? | Notes for Owners & Property Managers |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | Yes – City + County multifamily recycling requirements | Multifamily properties must provide mixed recycling service with containers located as conveniently as trash, labeled to county standards, and supported by written resident education at move-in and annually. Non-compliance can trigger warnings, citations, and misdemeanor charges under Ordinance 13 and city code. |
| Bloomington | Yes – City ordinance + County requirements | Bloomington explicitly requires multifamily buildings to offer recycling to residents. Hennepin County partners with the city to provide free resources and assistance. Properties are expected to keep recycling available wherever residents dispose of trash. |
| St. Louis Park | Yes – City ordinance + County requirements | St. Louis Park operates a strong multifamily recycling program with city requirements and county grant support. Hennepin County multifamily recycling grants and technical assistance are available to upgrade enclosures and education. |
| Richfield | Yes – City ordinance + County requirements | Multifamily properties must provide recycling service; the city promotes recycling through its own programs while aligning with Hennepin County standards for collection, labels, and resident education. |
| All other Hennepin County cities | Yes – Covered through Countywide multifamily requirements | Under Ordinance 13, cities must require multifamily owners to provide mixed recycling collection. If a city fails to implement or enforce required ordinances, Hennepin County may step in to implement the program and seek reimbursement. Practically, that means all multifamily properties in Hennepin County should operate as if recycling is mandatory. |
| Applies to: Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Chanhassen (Hennepin portion), Corcoran, Crystal, Dayton (Hennepin portion), Deephaven, Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Golden Valley, Greenfield, Greenwood, Hanover (Hennepin portion), Hopkins, Independence, Long Lake, Loretto, Maple Grove, Maple Plain, Medicine Lake, Medina, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, Minnetrista, Mound, New Hope, Orono, Osseo, Plymouth, Richfield, Robbinsdale, Rockford (Hennepin portion), Rogers, Shorewood, Spring Park, St. Anthony (Hennepin portion), St. Bonifacius, St. Louis Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata, Woodland. | ||
Property Managers: What You Must Provide (Minneapolis & Hennepin County)
| Task | Action / Requirement | Helpful Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm Multifamily Status | Verify that your community is a multifamily housing property under Ordinance 13 (any site where a property manager or association coordinates collection for residents). If yes, mixed recyclables collection is required. | Ordinance 13 – Multifamily Section |
| ☑ Engage a Compliant Recycling Hauler | Ensure your current vendor provides mixed recycling collection for all buildings and delivers materials to a materials recovery facility. Adjust service frequency or container size so recycling never overflows or gets redirected into trash. | Hennepin – Apartment Recycling |
| ☑ Set Up Code-Compliant Bins & Labels | Place recycling bins wherever residents have access to trash in common areas (laundry, mail, community rooms, enclosures). Use county-standard color coding (blue for recycling, green for organics, dark colors for trash) and pictorial labels provided or approved by Hennepin County. | Free Labels & Signs |
| ☑ Provide Annual Resident Education | At move-in and at least once per year, deliver written information to each unit describing what can be recycled, how to prepare materials, where collection points are, and how to contact management or the county. Keep records of distribution for inspections. | Education Resources |
| ☑ Document Self-Inspections & Service | Maintain a file with hauling contracts, service schedules, container maps, self-inspection forms, contamination photos, and any variance or grant documentation. Ordinance 13 expressly allows the county to inspect and request records. | Hennepin Environment & Energy |
| ☑ Tap Environmental Partnership Grants | Use Hennepin County’s multifamily recycling grants, Green Partners environmental grants, and Apartment Recycling Champions program to fund additional carts, organics collection, enclosure improvements, and resident engagement. | Green Partners Grants |
Property Managers: What You Must Provide (Saint Paul & Ramsey County)
| Task | Action / Requirement | Helpful Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm Unit Count & “Multi-Unit” Status | If your building has 5 or more units in Saint Paul, it is treated as a multi-unit property. You must provide on-site recycling and coordinate garbage service with a private hauler, while the city coordinates recycling collection. | Saint Paul Multi-Unit Collection |
| ☑ Maintain Carts / Dumpsters & Access | Ensure the site has enough recycling carts or dumpsters based on the number of units and resident volume. Keep collection areas clean, well-lit, and accessible, with clear paths to containers so residents can safely use the service. | Garbage & Recycling Info |
| ☑ Use City & County Educational Tools | Order and post multilingual posters, labels, and handouts from the city and BizRecycling. Provide residents with clear instructions on what to recycle, what to compost (if offered), and how to prepare materials. | BizRecycling – Multi-Unit Tools |
| ☑ Apply for BizRecycling Grants | Work with BizRecycling to apply for up to $20,000 in grants to pay for containers, signage, chute or enclosure upgrades, and organics collection. Grant agreements function as environmental partnership agreements between your property and the county/regional program. | Multi-Unit Grants |
| ☑ Prepare for Inspections & Enforcement | Keep copies of service agreements, grant contracts, communications with the city, and photos of recycling areas. Ramsey County’s solid-waste ordinance allows misdemeanor charges and civil penalties for certain solid-waste violations, so documentation is a key risk-management tool. | Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy |
Minneapolis–Saint Paul Fines & Penalties Snapshot
- Hennepin County Ordinance 13 – Enforcement: The county may issue warnings, bring misdemeanor charges for non-compliance, and pursue citations, injunctive relief, and cost recovery. Each day a violation continues can be treated as a separate offense, increasing exposure.
- City Responsibilities & Backstop: Cities in Hennepin County are required to adopt and enforce multifamily recycling ordinances. If a city fails to do so, the county may implement requirements directly within that city and seek reimbursement for its costs.
- Saint Paul General Penalties: Violations of Saint Paul’s recycling and garbage code, including failure to provide multi-unit recycling as required by Section 357.09, can be enforced under the city’s general penalty provisions as misdemeanor-level offenses (fines and/or other sanctions as allowed under Minnesota law).
- Ramsey County Solid-Waste Penalties: Under Ramsey County’s solid-waste ordinance, certain violations can trigger misdemeanor enforcement and civil penalties up to $10,000 per day, along with recovery of county costs and injunctive relief. Poorly managed dumpster areas and repeated non-compliance increase risk.
- Practical Risk Management: For both cities and both counties, the pattern is clear: daily violations, cumulative remedies, and broad enforcement tools. A documented, well-designed valet trash & recycling program is your best defense against escalating enforcement.
Want a single program that satisfies Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Hennepin County, and Ramsey County expectations? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Twin Cities property. We’ll review your current setup, align containers and labeling with Ordinance 13, Saint Paul multi-unit rules, and Ramsey County’s solid-waste requirements, design a resident-friendly valet trash & recycling program, and prepare the inspector-ready documentation your owners and lenders expect.
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