Yard and tree waste disposal

Yard waste — such as grass clippings, leaves and branches — is a valuable resource that can add nutrients back into your yard or be recycled into compost.

It is illegal to put yard waste in your household garbage.

Options for managing yard waste are listed below. Note: Hennepin County does NOT operate a yard waste drop-off site.

Guide to managing yard waste (PDF)

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Curbside pick-up by your waste hauler

Contact your waste hauler or city for information on options and material preparations. Find your city recycling contact.

Bag yard waste for pickup in compostable bags, which include paper bags or certified-compostable plastic bags (identified with the BPI compostable logo).

Yard waste drop-off sites open to all Hennepin County residents

Call before visiting these businesses for hours, materials they accept, requirements and fees.

Note: Hennepin County does NOT operate a yard waste drop-off site.

SKB Malcolm Avenue Transfer Station

630 Malcolm Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-331-4610
www.skbinc.com/our-locations/malcolm.html

Fee: $9 drop fee + $10 per cubic yard
Open to the public
Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. (all year)
Saturday 7 a.m. - noon (April-November only)

Ceres Mulch

3825 85th Ave North, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
763-425-8822
www.ceresenvironmental.com/material-recycling/ceres-mulch.asp

Open to the public
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Maple Grove Yard Waste Site

10300 Maple Grove Parkway, Maple Grove, MN 55369
763-420-4886
www.mgyardwaste.com/

Maple Grove, Champlin, Brooklyn Park, Dayton, Brooklyn Center, Crystal, and New Hope residents at no charge. General public may have fees -- call first for fees. Rogers residents need a City Hall issued permit to dump.
Open April 1-November 30
Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

The Mulch Store

Locations in:

Burnsville, 952-736-1915
Empire Township, 651-423-4401
Minnetrista, 952-446-1056
Shakopee, 952-445-2139

Open to the public

For hours at each location, visit The Mulch Store website

Backyard composting

Backyard composting is an easy way to turn much of the waste from your yard and kitchen into a rich organic material that you can use to improve your soil.

Leave grass clippings on your lawn. This practice will add valuable nutrients and can reduce the need for fertilizer.

Learn more about backyard composting and purchasing a compost bin.

Disposing of ash tree waste

All ash trees in Hennepin County are threatened by the emerald ash borer, a destructive tree pest that attacks and kills ash trees. To prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer, a quarantine is in place for Hennepin County and surrounding counties that prohibits hauling ash tree waste out of the quarantine area.

Disposing of ash tree waste

Ash tree waste should be taken to the closest disposal site to minimize the spread of the emerald ash borer. Some yard waste haulers and sites cannot accept ash tree waste. See the list of ash tree waste disposal sites.

Preventing the spread of the emerald ash borer

Take these steps to help prevent emerald ash borer from spreading:

Don't transport firewood. Buy firewood locally from an approved vendor, and don't bring any extra wood home with you.
Watch for signs of infestation in your ash trees. The earlier that emerald ash borer is found, the sooner it can be addressed. Learn more about the signs if emerald ash borer infestation and management options for ash trees in the county's emerald ash borer brochure (PDF).
Only prune ash trees during the season when emerald ash borer is not active, which is from October 1 to April 30. Remember to dispose of any ash tree waste at the closest disposal site.

More information

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