Minneapolis City Council — Transcript
Thursday, November 13, 2025
Minneapolis Waste and Recycling Services Overview
Angelo introduces the comprehensive waste services provided by Minneapolis' Solid Waste and Recycling Division, including garbage collection, recycling, organic waste, large items, and seasonal yard waste collection for residential buildings with 1-4 units.
Recycling Contamination Rates and Enforcement
The city tracks contamination rates in recycling, which increased from 9.5% in 2022 to just under 12% in 2023, though still below the national average of 15%. Residents receive warning tags for contamination, and carts are removed after multiple violations within 6 months.
Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Sorting Process
Detailed explanation of how recycling is processed at Eureca Recycling facility, including pre-sorting by workers, star screens for separating 2D from 3D materials, magnetic separation for metals, and optical sorting for plastics. Plastic bags cause major operational problems.
Specific Material Guidelines
Comprehensive guidelines for recycling different materials including paper (no food contact items), cardboard (keep 3D shape), metals (steel and aluminum food/beverage containers only), plastics (#1, #2, #5 only), and glass (food/beverage containers only).
Size Requirements and Contamination Prevention
Items smaller than 3 inches fall through sorting equipment and contaminate glass, while items larger than a 3-gallon bucket cannot be processed. The facility intentionally breaks glass for sorting, so small items must be kept out.
End Markets and Environmental Impact
95% of Minneapolis recycling stays in the Midwest, 99% in North America. Glass and aluminum can be recycled infinitely, paper about 7 times, and plastics are often downcycled. Recycling supports over 77,000 jobs in Minnesota according to MPCA estimates.
Training Completion and Cart Recovery Process
Residents who had carts removed must complete a quiz with at least 14 out of 20 correct answers to recover their recycling carts. Results are provided within 3 business days via email, and the quiz can be retaken as needed.
Summary
This is a recycling education training session conducted by Angelo from Minneapolis' Solid Waste and Recycling Division. The session was designed to educate residents about proper recycling practices, with a particular focus on those who had their recycling carts removed due to contamination. The training covers the city's waste services, recycling processes, contamination rates, and detailed guidelines for what materials can and cannot be recycled.