1. Solid Waste Management in the
Twin Cities Metro Area

3. Metro Area
• Seven Counties
• Population: 2.9 Million
• Households: 1.14 Million
• Employment: ~1.6Million
• Generates 60% of Minnesota’s MSW

4. Waste Categories in Minnesota

5. Key Points
• The State of Minnesota sets the purpose and
goals for waste management
• Local waste management is deliberately
planned
• A variety of tools are used to achieve goals
• Focus is on reducing risk: public health,
environment, economic
• System is operated by a combination of public
and private participants

7. Observations about the System
• Blend of public/private sector services
• Private sector landfills drive the economics
• U.S. Court decisions have limited government
tools to manage waste
• Conflict between public sector goals, private
sector competition
• There is little connection in Minnesota between
energy policy and waste policy
• Despite that, the region is one of the leader in
waste diversion in the U.S.

8. 6%
4%
1%
60%
54%
45%
47.54%
46.55%
45.49%
44.17%
15%
9%
3%
4.39%
4.31%
4.22%
4.13%
24%
28%
32%
31.67%
30.24%
27.16%
25.27%
9%
9%
20%
20.81%
22.08%
25.07%
28.34%
2030 (High)
2030 (Low)
2015 (Low)
2013
2012
2011
2010
SWMCB Regional Progress Towards State Waste Objectives
Source Reduction & Reuse Recycling Organics Resource Recovery Land Disposal

11. Trends
• Legislature has established significantly higher
recycling/organics management goal: 75%
• Continued challenges to use the market to
achieve State goals
• Emphasis on organic waste management
• Looking to new methods for waste conversion