Dakota Valley Recycling

The Recycling Zone is the County recycling center where all Dakota County residents and businesses can dispose of recyclables, electronics, scrap metal, paint, household chemicals, hazardous waste, and other items that shouldn't go in the trash. The Recycling Zone is open to all residents living in Dakota County or the other metro-area counties.

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing

Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) means 'purchasing products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.'  This comparison applies to raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, use, reuse, operation, maintenance, and disposal. 

Why you should purchase environmentally preferable products and services:

• Improved Safety and Health - If you buy things, you have the power to make your city, your state, and the earth a healthier, more sustainable place to live. Use your power wisely--buy green.
• Increased Availability of Green Goods - Purchasing power exerts a tremendous influence on which products and services are available in the marketplace. Your buying power increases the availability of environmentallypreferable products, which in turn minimizes environmental impacts.
• Reduced Liability and Disposal Costs - Buying less-hazardous products can reduce regulatory liability and improve worker safety and lower disposal costs. Products that are reusable, refillable, more durable, or repairable create less waste and are more cost effective than disposable or single-use products.

Recycling

Recycling is an important way to reduce the impact of our waste on our community, locally and globally.  It is a very easy thing to do, and it matters more than you think.  Minnesotans make a big impact by recycling more than 2 million tons per year. 

Hazardous Waste is any chemical or product that can cause serious illness or pose an environmental or health threat if improperly stored, transported, or disposed of.  When hazardous waste is disposed of in the trash, down the drain, or on the ground, our water and soils can be contaminated or trash collectors can be harmed. Most products labeled dangerous, flammable, poison, combustible and corrosive are considered hazardous waste.

Energy Efficiency

The goal of energy efficiency is to reduce the amount of energy required for products and services.  Energy efficiency offers a powerful and cost-effective tool for achieving a sustainable energy future. According to the International Energy Agency, improved energy efficiency in buildings, industrial processes and transportation starting now, could reduce the world's energy needs in 2050 by one third, and help control global emissions of greenhouse gases.