About the bins
The compost bins sold by Hennepin County are made of cedar and wire mesh. Bins are sold as a kit with all materials, hardware, and assembly and composting instructions included; some assembly required.
Kits are about 3' x 3' x 1'. Assembled bins are 3’ x 3’ x 3’.
Bins cost $60 each. Some assembly is required. Lids are available for an additional $15.
Bins are built by Productive Day Program crews, which is an on-the-job carpenter training program for low-risk offenders.
Cities have varying backyard composting ordinances; check with your city recycling coordinator about your local ordinance.
Seasonal compost bin events
Check back for 2021 compost bin events.
Current purchase options
Compost bins are for sale at the Hennepin County Drop-off Facilities:
- Brooklyn Park, located at 8100 Jefferson Hwy, Brooklyn Park
- South Hennepin, 1400 West 96th St., Bloomington
Note: the facilities are open with limited operations and new safety procedures.
New hours
- Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Closed Sunday and Monday.
Payment
- Bins cost $60 each. Some assembly is required. Lids are available for an additional $15.
- Credit card only (Visa, Discover, Mastercard)
- For safety, we're temporarily not accepting cash or checks.
Obtaining your bin
Have a space cleared in the trunk of the vehicle, bed of truck or in a trailer before you visit.
- Kits are about 3' x 3' x 1'. Assembled bins are 3’ x 3’ x 3’.
Note different loading instructions for each drop-off facility:
- Brooklyn Park: Residents are responsible for loading the bin into their own vehicle. If you need help loading it, please bring along a member from your household.
- Bloomington: Staff will load bins into trunks or flatbeds of vehicles. Follow staff directions.
Required face coverings
All visitors to Hennepin County buildings are required to wear face coverings that cover both mouth and nose.
A face shield alone is not enough. Visitors who wear a face shield are required to wear a face covering underneath it.
Refund policy
Our policy is not to offer refunds for compost bins. However, if you have a question concerning your payment or wish to inquire about a potential refund, please call 612-348-3777.
Take the following steps to start successfully composting in your backyard.
Get a compost bin
Hennepin County sells compost bins at distribution events and at the drop-off facility in Brooklyn Park. Many lawn and garden stores also sell compost bins, or you can search for options online to make a compost bin.
Assemble your compost bin
If you purchased a Hennepin County compost bin, see the following resources for assembly instructions:
Find a place for your compost bin
Place your bin in a convenient location for easy access. An ideal spot gets some sun, has good drainage and is easily accessible.
Each city has its own ordinances about composting, so check with your city recycling coordinator for details concerning your local laws.
Add materials
Many people understand what can be composted in backyard bins but can get confused about what not to compost.
Do compost
- Yard waste, including grass clippings, plant trimmings and leaves
- Kitchen waste, including fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags and egg shells
- Small amounts of sawdust, wood chips, wood ash, and small sticks
- Non-recyclable papers: paper towels, napkins, egg cartons
Don't compost
- Meat and dairy
- Fats and oils
- Pet waste
- Weeds with seeds
- Large pieces of wood
As a general rule, add three parts of dry, brown materials to one part of wet, green materials. Brown materials include dried grass, leaves, straw, sawdust and twigs; green materials include coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, green leaves and plant trimmings.
Home composting systems typically don’t reach high enough temperatures to break down meat, dairy, grease and oil. These materials can also attract critters to your compost bin and cause foul odors.
Feces from pets may carry pathogens that could cause health problems.
Large pieces of wood do not compost quickly and require a lot of energy to decompose, so wood should be chipped or shredded and used minimally.
Maintain your compost pile
Follow these tips to maintain a successful compost pile:
- Keep your compost pile at the right moisture level. If your compost pile has a bad odor, it lacks air circulation or it may be too wet. Try turning the pile and/or adding dry, brown materials to the pile.
- If your compost pile is not heating up, it may need more nitrogen or "green" material. Add grass clippings to the pile.
- Bury kitchen scraps at least 8 inches deep in the compost pile to discourage critters.
- You can keep adding to your compost pile as it is composting. However, you may want to start a second pile if you have enough materials.
- Continue adding materials to your compost pile in the winter. It will thaw and continue breaking down in the spring.
- The best pile is made up of a variety of materials.
- The smaller the bits of compost material, the faster the pile will decompose.
For more detailed instructions on composting in your backyard, see the how to compost in your backyard flyer (PDF).