About one-third of our trash is made up of organic materials, such as food scraps, food-soiled paper and certified compostable products. Composting these materials is a great way to reduce waste and create compost – a beneficial soil amendment in demand by landscapers and road construction crews. Starting March 31, New Hope’s curbside recycling program through Hennepin Recycling Group (HRG) will expand to include weekly organics recycling collection materials using a separate cart.
At the same time as the HRG program rolls out, garbage haulers will discontinue their organics recycling collection services and remove related charges from their monthly bills. This change aims to provide consistent service, lower costs and reduce heavy truck traffic from garbage trucks. Organics recycling materials will be collected weekly on the same day as regular trash.
HOW DO I REGISTER?
To participate in curbside organics recycling, residents must register online at hrg-recycling.com/organics. If you sign up by March 9 carts will be delivered the week of March 24, with weekly service beginning the week of March 31. For registrations received after March 9, carts will be delivered in mid-April.
WHAT IF I’M ALREADY REGISTERED FOR CURBSIDE ORGANICS COLLECTION THROUGH MY GARBAGE HAULER?
Residents currently using curbside organics collection must register with HRG at hrg-recycling.com/organics to continue the service, as garbage haulers will no longer provide this option. Starting with April's bill, garbage haulers will stop billing for organics recycling and will collect their bins by April 4.
ORGANICS RECYCLING CHARGES REQUIREMENT
When the program begins, residents will notice a fee of $2.90 per month added to their City utility bill. If enrollment in the program reaches more than 11%, the citywide rate will increase to $3.75 per month. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recently clarified Minnesota State Statute 115A.93, which prohibits waste haulers from imposing a greater charge on residents who recycle organic materials than those who do not.
Therefore, waste haulers must charge all residential customers a fee for curbside organics recycling collection regardless of participation status.
Residents may choose not to register for a cart but cannot opt out of the organics recycling charge.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
All households will receive a postcard with additional information about the program from HRG in February. If you have any questions, please contact HRG at 763.493.8006 or [email protected].
ALTERNATE ORGANICS RECYCLING OPTIONS
Crystal Cove Organics Drop-Off
Drop-off organics recycling is available at the Crystal Cove Aquatics Center, 4848 Douglas Drive in Crystal. The drop-off is located in the northeast corner of the parking lot. There’s a brown organics recycling sign on the gate.
Access to the drop-off is restricted to registered users. Residents may register by visiting the organics recycling page at hrg-recycling.com. Once registered, residents will receive an email containing details on accessing the drop-off location.
Organics must be in BPI-certified compostable bags or paper shopping bags. A list of accepted items is available in the Hennepin Recycling Group (HRG) Organics Recycling Guide or on the HRG website at hrg-recycling.com.
Hennepin County Drop-Off Facility
Hennepin County offers organics recycling drop-off at the Brooklyn Park and Bloomington Hennepin County Drop-Off Facilities. Organics are accepted for free Tuesday through Saturday during regular facility hours. There is a limit of five bags per person per day.
Learn more on Hennepin County’s website.
Backyard Composting
Backyard composting is a great way to recycle organic material and have easy access to nutrient-rich compost.
Backyard Composting Requirements
- Compost sites may not be closer than five feet from any rear or side property line and cannot be located in a front yard or a side yard abutting a public right-of-way, may not be located in any drainage easement and cannot be closer than 25 feet from any residence.
- Compost sides cannot exceed 25 square feet in area or four feet in height.
- Only one compost site per property.
- Compost sites must be totally contained within a structure made of permanent, non-degrading material that allows air circulation and is visually complementary to the lot’s principal structure.
- Compost cannot be treated with any herbicides or pesticides
What can be composted? Food scraps, garden wastes, weeds, lawn cuttings, leaves and prunings.
What cannot be composted? Meat, fats, oils, grease, bones, whole eggs, milk or other dairy products, human or pet waste, pesticides, herbicides, noxious weeds, diseased plant material and any other mixed municipal solid waste.