In 2018, the Metro Council adopted an ordinance requiring local governments to implement business food scraps collection requirements. City and county agencies across the region are adopting requirements that will take effect in March 2020 for businesses that generate more than 1,000 pounds of food scraps per week. Businesses located in cities or counties that have adopted the requirement will be notified in early 2020 by city and county staff.
Food is the largest single portion of our region’s waste and businesses generate more than half of it. These food scraps collection programs aim to capture the benefits of turning food scraps into energy and useful soil amendment products instead of disposing of them in a landfill.