Committee reviews recycling, organics, and 0-waste actions tied to legislative directive; targets and ordinance changes planned

Director Nick Gerald presented the Climate and Infrastructure Committee with a status report Oct. 30 on a legislative directive directing updates on the city’s recycling rates and 0-waste strategies.

Gerald said the city adopted an 80% diversion-by-2030 goal in 2015 but that current projections put Minneapolis on a path closer to 50% by 2030 without significant policy or operational changes. “We understand that our target is 80% by 2030, but what we have in there reaching 50% by 2030 is what the current path we’re projected at would kinda get us to that point, not all the way to the 80,” Gerald said.

The presentation covered capture-rate targets (residential sector) from a 2022 study, outreach and education planned through Climate Legacy Initiative funding, compliance and enforcement responsibilities across departments, proposed ordinance changes for multiunit buildings and rental licensing, and a funding-mechanism (clean-community fee) study due in final draft by December 2025.

Key specifics Gerald provided include:

- Residential and…