Environment, Recycling & Trash

• Drop-Off Sites: Household Hazardous Waste & Recycling
  Hennepin County has two drop-off facilities where residents can get rid of recyclables, electronics, appliances, household hazardous wastes and trash.
• Waste Disposal: A to Z Guide
  Disposal guide with information on how to get rid of household hazardous wastes, problem materials such as electronics, recycling and trash.

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

• Choose to Reuse Today
  Hennepin County is encouraging residents to reuse items and reduce the volume of waste produced through our Choose to Reuse program. 
• City Recycling Contacts
  Your city recycling coordinator is your point person for questions on garbage disposal, recycling, composting, garbage haulers and special clean ups in your city.
• Donation Opportunities for Household Items
  Information on local non-profit organizations that take donations of used household goods.
• Event Recycling - Containers Available
  Resources available to help you collect recycling at events, including portable recycling units that are available to borrow.
• Organics Recycling
  An overview of organics recycling and links to more information for residents, businesses and schools.
• Recycling at Home
  A list of what can be recycled in most curbside programs.
• Residential Recycling Recovery Rate Studies
  Recycling and waste sorts were conducted to determine the recycling recovery rate of materials in curbside recycling programs and assess the potential to increase it.
• Tips for Reducing Waste
  Steps you can take to reduce waste, such as reducing junk mail, reducing packaging and greening your celebrations.
• Tips for Reusing Your Household Goods
  Don't trash your old stuff, reuse it instead! Before you throw something away, check out our tips on reusing household goods.
• Yard Waste Disposal
  Options for disposing of yard and tree waste including a listing of drop-off sites in the metro area.

Household Hazardous Waste

• Disposing of Electronics
  Electronic waste may contain lead, mercury, PCB capacitors and other heavy metals. These items must be recycled and not thrown in the trash.
• Fluorescent Light Bulbs
  Fluorescent Light Bulbs: Buy them, use them, recycle them! Using these energy-efficient light bulbs can save you money and help protect the environment.
• Household Batteries
  How to dispose of different types of batteries.
• Household Battery Drop-off Locations
  Find drop-off locations where batteries will be properly recycled or disposed.
• Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events
  Hennepin County organizes several collection events to provide convenient, local disposal options for household hazardous wastes.
• Mercury and Mercury-Containing Products
  Mercury, a dangerous pollutant found in common household products, must be handled responsibly.
• Reducing Household Hazardous Waste
  Simple steps you can take to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals at home.
• What is Household Hazardous Waste?
  A list of hazardous household materials that must be recycled and not thrown in the trash.

Environmental Education and Outreach

• Community POWER Grants
  This program funds projects of non-environmental, community organizations to carry out innovative, community-based projects related to waste and toxicity reduction.
• Environmental Education Learning Trunks
  These are lesson plans and activities to help educators teach about household hazardous waste issues.
• Environmental Education Toolkits
  Hennepin County has developed toolkits for waste and toxicity reduction, lesson plans, ideas for activities and discussion questions.
• Environmental Literature Order Form
  Environmental factsheets, brochures and incentive items available to community groups, municipalities, and schools at no charge.
• Event Recycling - Containers Available
  Resources available to help you collect recycling at events, including portable recycling units that are available to borrow.
• Green Notes e-newsletter
  Hennepin Green Notes is a monthly e-newsletter highlighting environmental programs, news and events from Hennepin County.
• Newsletter Articles - Water Quality
  Articles about water quality available for use in community newsletters, newspapers and websites.
• Organics and Recycling Program Resources
  Resources to help in starting up an organics recycling program, including posters, container labels and videos.
• Organics Recycling for Schools
  Guidelines and resources for schools looking to set up organics recycling programs.
• Solar Array
  Hennepin County has one of the largest solar installation in the upper Midwest on the roof of the Hennepin County Public Works Facility in Medina is. Learn more about the solar installation, monitor the power output and greenhouse gas savings of the solar array and watch a video of the installation.
• Tours of Environmental Sites
  Hennepin County offers free tours of several environmental sites and facilities, including the Brooklyn Park Drop-Off Facility, the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center and the eco-yards.
• Video - Waste? What's the Problem?
  Five-minute video about waste issues, including amount of waste generated, why some wastes are hazardous, and how to reduce waste and recycle more.
• Waste Abatement Incentive Fund
  Grant funding available to local public entities and non-public schools to support projects that reduce waste and toxicity.

Cool County

• The Cool County Initiative
  Find out what the county, residents, and businesses can do to reduce the impact of climate change by 80 percent by 2050.

Grants & Loans

• Agricultural Best Management Practices Loan Program
  This program offers low interest loans to make improvements or implement practices that will reduce or prevent nonpoint source pollution.
• Agricultural Inspection Programs
  Hennepin County has many types of agricultural inspection programs.
• Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan
  The Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund may be used for environmental cleanup of hazardous waste, hazardous waste co-mingled with petroleum and petroleum only impacts.
• Community POWER Grants
  This program funds projects of non-environmental, community organizations to carry out innovative, community-based projects related to waste and toxicity reduction.
• Event Recycling - Containers Available
  Resources available to help you collect recycling at events, including portable recycling units that are available to borrow.
• Riparian Restoration and Stream Bank Stabilization Program
  This program will fund projects that reduce erosion and stabilize stream banks throughout the county.
• Waste Abatement Incentive Fund
  Grant funding available to local public entities and non-public schools to support projects that reduce waste and toxicity.
• Well Sealing Cost Share Program
  The Well Sealing Cost Share Grant Program offers partial grants to Hennepin County residents to cover some of the cost of sealing old wells that are no longer in use.

Natural Resources

• Earth-Friendly Home Landscaping Guide
  The guide has information about earth-friendly home lanscaping practices, including low input lawn care, plant selection, rain gardens, composting and rain barrels.
• Emerald Ash Borer
  The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) recently announced the discovery of an emerald ash borer infestation in St. Paul. Information about identifying and preventing the spread of the destructive tree pest.
• Hennepin Conservation District Financial Statements
  2009 year-end financial statements and proposed 2010 budget for the Hennepin Conservation District.
• Natural Resource Inventory (NRI)
  Hennepin County assists communities with natural resource identification, inventory, and assessment.
• Wetland Health Volunteer Monitoring Program
  Adult volunteer monitoring program that assesses the biological communities in wetlands throughout the county.

Volunteers

• Environmental Volunteer Opportunities
  Environmental Services has a variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals interested in helping protect the environment.