Spring 2021 Hauler Update

hauler update

HERC Annual Spring Outage

HERC

HERC will undergo extensive maintenance work between April 25 through May 12, 2021. We need to make some adjustments to the waste delivery hours to the facility in order to manage waste volumes.

Limited direct haul will begin on Monday, May 3 and the last day will be Friday, May 14. HERC will accept waste only between the hours of 4 to 6 a.m. Regular hours will resume on Monday, May 17. HERC will accept waste during normal hours on Saturday and Sunday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the limited direct haul. Please note these dates are subject to change. 

Brooklyn Park Transfer Station (BPTS) will accept waste during normal hours of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions about this, please contact Barry Melquist at 612-348-4491 or Enrique Vinas at 612-348-4919.

Safety spotlight

OHS equipment

Photo courtesy of OHS

Protect your eyes! 

Wear personal protective equipment when you visit Hennepin County waste facilities 

Safety glasses are required personal protective equipment (PPE) at Hennepin County waste facilities. Unfortunately, we have seen drivers in our facilities not wearing safety glasses, and sometimes not wearing anything to protect their eyes Protect your eyes! Eye protection must meet ANSI Standard Z87.1.

Here is a list of required PPE to be worn at our waste facilities

  • Hard hats (must comply with ANSI Z89.1–1997 and be rated industrial Class G)
  • Safety glasses (eye protection meeting ANSI Z87.1–1989)
  • Sturdy footwear in good condition (Not acceptable: Canvas shoes, sneakers and sandals, or shoes with badly worn or thin soles)
  • Reflective vests (must be a Type II as specified by ANSI/ISEA Standard 107-1999 and Minnesota Rule 5205.0030)

Keep up the good job of wearing masks

Please continue to wear masks at county waste facilities so we can beat COVID-19 pandemic. Hennepin County requires everyone in all public spaces to wear a face covering. This includes the tipping floors at BPTS and HERC.

Vehicle drivers must wear a face covering that covers both mouth and nose and is secured to the head with ties or ear loops while they are:

  • Outside of their vehicle on our tipping floors at BPTS and HERC
  • At the scale house window or in any other interactions with an attendant

It is expected that each hauling company will adequately supply face coverings to employees that need them to comply with the order.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Vehicle ID decals are required to enter our facilities

Hennepin County provides two vehicle identification decals to haulers using County facilities.

The four digit numbers and license decals are required and must be readable to enter our facilities.

Please contact Haulers@hennepin.us or call 612-348-7813 for new or replacement truck number decals.

Numbers should be displayed on your truck as depicted in the illustration below.

waste hauler truck decal placements

Make sure your dumpsters and compactors have proper signage

Waste haulers are responsible for properly labeling the external container that they service. 

Signage should:

  • Be visible from all points of access for the user.
  • State the type of waste to be placed in the dumpster.
  • Show images of acceptable materials for recycling and organics recycling for composting.
  • Be color-coded to differentiate the material collected.
    • Blue for recycling
    • Green for organics recycling
    • Red, gray or black for trash.
  • Include standardized and relevant terminology.
  • Include preparation instructions where applicable.
  • Be replaced if damaged, faded, illegible or when images or text on the label conflict with materials accepted in recycling, industrial composting, or food-to-animal collection

Label size requirements

label requirements

Questions about label requirements? Contact businessrecycling@hennepin.us or call 612-348-3777.

Information for your customers

Waste prevention grants available to businesses and nonprofits

Hennepin County is providing funding through a new grant program to support projects that prevent waste in the business sector. Areas of focus include:

  • Replacing disposable packaging, dishes, utensils, and cups with reusables
  • Preventing food waste using tracking software and putting food byproducts to greater use
  • Eliminating the use of poly bags for shipping products
  • Developing innovative research and development projects to prevent waste
business recycling grant

Park Tavern in St. Louis Park received a grant to replace single-use disposable cups with reusable cups

This year, $300,000 is available for business waste prevention grants. Each applicant may apply for up to $50,000. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis as funds remain.

Review the 2021 waste prevention grant guidelines (PDF) for details, and visit the business recycling web page to learn more and apply.

Recycling bin and compostable-bag grants for small businesses and nonprofit organizations

waste recycling stations

The county is providing free resources and assistance for small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and multifamily properties to start or improve recycling and organics recycling. Applicants may select up to $3,000 worth of containers and compostable bags from the county's product list. Review the 2021 business recycling bin and compostable bag grant guidelines (PDF) for details. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until November 15 as funding remains. Learn more and apply.

2021 household hazardous waste collection events

Household hazardous waste sign

Hennepin County is holding six community collection events for county residents to safely and properly dispose of unwanted garden and household hazardous wastes in 2021.

Events will take place Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the following dates:

  • May 7 and 8 at Minnetonka Public Works
  • June 11 and 12 at the St. Louis Park Middle School
  • June 25 and 26 at Pillsbury Elementary School in Minneapolis
  • July 30 and 31 at Anthony Middle School in Minneapolis
  • August 13 and 14 at South High School in Minneapolis
  • September 17 and 18 at the Hennepin County Public Works Orono Shop

Before you go, find health and safety guidelines and a list of acceptable materials at hennepin.us/collectionevents.

Contact us

612-348-7813

haulers@hennepin.us

Follow us

facebooktwitterinstagramyoutubelinked in
Hennepin County