Go Green

Nearly one-third of Dakota County housing units are apartments, townhomes, condominiums or independent senior living facilities. On-site recycling is an amenity appreciated by the residents, but most multifamily housing locations don’t have enough recycling containers and need help with recycling programs.

That’s why we offer the Multifamily Recycling Program as most property owners and managers are now required to provide their tenants with the opportunity to recycle.

Dakota County makes it easy by offering property owners and managers free resources to help with recycling improvements. Resources are available on a first-come, first-served basis:

• Get recycling and trash container labels, chute signs, posters and flyers.

• Meet with Dakota County recycling experts to design a new recycling program, improve an existing one or start waste prevention efforts.

• Schedule on-site or virtual trainings for both employees and residents to learn about recycling do’s and don’ts and to answer questions.

• Apply for funds to pay for recycling containers for common areas such as lobbies and community rooms.

Since 2019, more than 16,000 people in about 11,500 households have been served by the Multifamily Recycling Program.

“We are very happy that Dakota County provided my building with recycling containers to promote clean, efficient living at our community.”

Most properties that participate in the program see an increase in recycling, improve the quality of the recycling collected and create resident engagement.

The spring thaw after a long winter is a welcome relief for many of us, but the downside to those warmer days is the sight of roadside garbage left behind after the snowmelt.

Dakota County volunteers in the Adopt-a-Highway program help keep local roadways clean and free of unsightly debris. Highway cleanups also help prevent garbage and harmful pollutants from entering our waterways and natural areas.

Our Adopt-a-Highway program includes more than 180 groups that clean up hundreds of miles of county roadsides each year. Groups can maintain their roadside for as long

For example, at Lakeville Pointe Apartments, trash was getting tossed in the recycling, causing penalty fees from the recycling hauler. The property owner contacted Dakota County and added more recycling containers, hung posters in common areas, added standardized signs and labels, and provided training to the residents. As a result, recycling increased 25 percent and fees were eliminated — a savings of $960 per year.

If your building or townhome needs help with recycling, visit www.dakotacounty.us, search multifamily recycling.

from 2018-2021

109 properties received recycling education for staff and residents.

68 housing complexes received a total of $132,775 for recycling containers.

Recycling has increased by an average of 160 pounds per household per year for a total of 1.8 million pounds.