In 2023, Golden Valley residents improved their organics recycling efforts, with 469.1 tons of organic materials collected compared to the 459.1 tons collected in 2022. This equates to about 332 pounds per participating household per year, showcasing a growing commitment to sustainable waste management practices.
However, there is room for growth in organics recycling participation, which currently stands at approximately 41 percent. Residents are encouraged to acquire an organics recycling cart from Republic Services and to avoid putting common contaminants such as glass, plastic bags, and other non-compostable items in organics recycling carts.
Traditional recycling continues to be effective with 96 percent of materials processed for recycling, but there is still work to be done to reduce contamination levels – like keeping plastic bags out of carts. To learn more about how recycling works in the metro, community members can explore RecyclingExists.com, a resource provided by Hennepin, Carver, Dakota, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington counties to debunk common recycling misconceptions and enhance understanding.
For more information, visit the Organics web page.