At the end of each year, we reflect on highlights from our work to advance a zero-waste future, protect land and water, and promote environmental stewardship. Below are some of the new initiatives we pursued in 2024 in addition to the successful programs and services we continue to offer every year. We’re so grateful to work with residents and partners to protect the environment, take climate action, support healthy communities, and advance equity.
Advancing a zero-waste future
 Made significant progress on solid waste policy with the passage of the state’s Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act, development of the plan to reinvent Hennepin County’s solid waste system, and adoption of the Hennepin County Solid Waste Management Plan.
Launched campaigns to raise awareness about high-priority zero-waste topics, including the Trash or Cash food waste prevention campaign and Recycling Exists campaign.
Expanded our waste reduction and recycling team by adding staff who will focus on plastics and special collections, expand education and inspections for compliance with our recycling and food waste recycling requirements, and expand capacity in our construction and demolition waste and school waste reduction and recycling programs.
Made grant funding available for community-based, zero-waste initiatives, which could include community-led swaps, repair clinics, special material collections, and recycling or organics drop-off sites. Grantees will be announced in early 2025.
Provided drop-offs for safe disposal and recycling by serving over 143,000 households at drop-off facilities and collection events to ensure safe disposal and recycling of materials like appliances, batteries, cleaners, electronics, mercury-containing items, paints, pesticides, and more.
Protecting land and water
 Celebrated 75 years of conservation services in Hennepin County, which started when the Hennepin Conservation District was founded in 1949 with a focus on offering technical assistance to farmers. Although a lot has evolved in our approach to conservation work, our guiding star has remained protecting the environment in a prioritized and cost-effective way to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations.
Began implementing a $10 million U.S. Forest Service grant to remove and replace diseased and infested trees on private property for residents with lower incomes.
Established more than 150 acres of conservation easements and completed restoration projects on protected land.
Had four lakes in the county removed from the state’s impaired waters list, a feat that required years of research, environmental education, public investments, and targeted project implementation among public and private partners to achieve.
Expanded Brownfields assessment funding for emerging developers through a program Minnesota Brownfields offers with funding from the Hennepin County Environmental Response Fund.
Automated commercial hazardous waste licensing and invoicing, improving efficiency for county hazardous waste inspectors and the over 5,000 businesses we license to ensure they properly manage hazardous waste to protect health and the environment.
 Won the Mighty Mississippi Cleanup Challenge, which was a challenge from Goodhue County to clean up and protect the river for Earth Day. Residents could contribute by joining a cleanup event, organizing their own cleanup, or signing up to adopt-a-drain. At least 64 cleanup events and 816 drain clean outs happened throughout the county.
Launched Watershed Connections, a free, hands-on environmental education program for 6th to 12th grade students. Students learn what impacts water quality and how to protect water through science-based activities. Optional focuses on art, social studies, math, and stewardship are also available.
Provided green jobs training and experiences for young adults, including through the county’s Green Pathways summer internship program and the Green Partners youth green jobs grants. A cohort of four young adults were hired for Green Pathways, and the five organization receiving youth green jobs grants hired 81 youth and provided green jobs experiences to nearly 200 youth.
 With so many single-use plastic items in our lives, avoiding them may feel overwhelming. Fortunately, there is a lot we can do to help create a world with less plastic. Are you up for the challenge?
The Plastic-Free Challenge is a month-long effort starting February 1 to reduce plastic consumption, especially single-use plastics, in ways that fit best in your lifestyle. Businesses, organizations, and community groups can also join the challenge as Plastic-Free Challenge partners.
The challenge runs during the month of February. Registration opens on January 1. Sign up to be notified when Plastic-Free Challenge registration opens.
 Thanks to everyone who dropped off yard signs during Hennepin County’s special recycling collection in November. More than 9,900 signs were recycled and kept out of the trash.
The signs were brought to Choice Plastics in Mound where they will be turned into pellets and then recycled into new material.
Expanding drop-off options for more items and harder to recycle materials is an action identified in the county’s Zero Waste Plan.
 Help provide more organics recycling options in your community! Funding is available to businesses, cities, multifamily properties, nonprofit organizations, and institutions in Hennepin County to establish organics recycling drop-off sites. Priority will be given to drop-off sites that increase access to organics recycling for residents in apartments and condos.
Up to $15,000 is available for each drop-off site. Funding can be used for hauling and disposal costs, construction, dumpsters or carts, and promotions and educational materials.
Learn more and apply
Applications are due by 3 p.m. on January 21, 2025. A virtual information session will be held on Thursday, January 9 at noon.
See the organics recycling drop-off funding guidelines (PDF) to learn more, and access the application materials on the Hennepin County supplier portal.
For more information and to get a link to the information session, contact Katie Stelzner at katie.stelzner@hennepin.us.
Businesses, organizations, and residents encouraged to use less deicing salt to protect water
 As Minnesotans prepare for winter, many will be heading to the store to grab a bag of deicing salt. Before you douse your driveways and sidewalks, take a moment to understand the lasting impacts deicing salt has on our lakes, rivers, and streams and what steps we can all take to protect our water.
Melting snow and ice flow directly into our lakes, rivers, and streams, carrying deicing salts that are toxic to aquatic plants and animals. The chloride and other chemicals in deicing salts are harmful to the environment, and once this chloride contaminates water, there is no feasible way to remove it. Just one teaspoon of salt pollutes five gallons of water permanently.
To help businesses and organizations adopt smarter salting practices, some local entities offer free consultations, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency offers Smart Salting training and certification.
Residents are also encouraged to adopt winter maintenance best practices, including shoveling promptly to prevent ice buildup, checking the temperature outside to ensure any deicers you are using will work, using sand or grit for traction, applying salt sparingly, and sweeping up and reusing leftover salt.
The Star Tribune recently joined Grace Barcelow, a conservationist with Hennepin County and the West Metro Water Alliance, on a free consultation at a congregation in Minneapolis. Read more in the Star Tribune and the Sun Post.
New program aims to get more food donations to people in need
A new program coming to the Twin Cities next year will help reduce food waste by getting it to people who need it. Food Connect, a nonprofit organization that uses a logistics tech platform and collaboration with local organization to bridge gaps in the food system, will start operating in the Twin Cities in 2025.
The GreenLight Fund Twin Cities recently announced a multi-year investment in Food Connect after identifying food security as a critical and urgent priority for the region. Hunger continues to rise across Minnesota, with food shelf visits reaching 7.5 million in 2023 and projected to hit 9 million in 2024 — marking a third consecutive year of record-breaking demand.
In other communities, Food Connect has partnered with food shelves, school districts, and emergency meal sites to transport donated food. Locally, Food Connect will collaborate with organizations like Youthprise, Feeding Frogtown, and Keystone Community Services to reach more than 20,000 residents over the next four years.
Through these partnerships, Food Connect aims to distribute nearly 100,000 pounds of food, while rescuing close to 70,000 pounds of surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. Food Connect is also collaborating with Hennepin County and Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy on a pilot program to increase sustainable food recovery. Learn more on MPR.
 Between packaging from deliveries, decorations, gift wrap, and more, the holiday season is a time when we often have a lot of stuff to get rid of. Review these tips to make sure you recycle and reuse as much as you can!
- Reuse gift bags, boxes, bows, and tissue paper
- Throw away gift wrap that is glossy, shiny, or glittery
- Bring string lights, electronics, and batteries to a drop-off facility
- Bring plastic bags, shipping envelopes, and bubble wrap to a drop-off
- Flatten and recycle cards and gift wrap made from plain paper along with cardboard and packing paper
- Remove all decorations from real trees and dispose through special pickup or as yard waste
- Throw away tinsel and trees or wreaths with fake snow
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