Solid Waste Management Master Plan

About the Program

Category: Planning (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

Hennepin County developed its 2018 Solid Waste Management Master Plan to reach the goal of zero waste to landfills by 2030. The State of Minnesota sets goals for counties to achieve and this plan presents the path to reach this ambitious goal. The county has made steady progress toward this goal, diverting 82 percent of waste from landfills in 2016. This is a rate on par with national leaders, but there are opportunities for improvement. The Master Plan demonstrates the county’s commitment to protecting the environment, providing equitable access to services and engaging the public in decision making. A primary focus of the plan is diverting organic materials such as food and non-recyclable paper from the trash by proposing requirements for cities and certain businesses, and working to prevent food waste. Elected officials, state planners and members of the community have said the plan is ambitious, presents clear direction and embodies data-driven decision making. The plan was created with meaningful involvement from more than 1,700 residents and other stakeholders. The plan defines shared responsibility of individuals, businesses, private sector and government to prevent waste and recycle everything we can. The plan also describes financial stewardship to create policies and programs that maximize environmental benefits while being responsive to the economy and ensure the benefits are widely shared by residents and businesses.