September 2026

Inside the Newsletter:

School Waste | Waste Reduction | Fall Leaves | Events | Funding Opportunities

Hennepin County School Waste and Recycling Wrap Up: Year 2

From May 2025 to April 2026, MnTAP conducted targeted outreach to over 100 schools, ranging from preschool organizations to higher education institutions across Hennepin County.

Our team achieved the following outputs and outcomes from our activities:

• Conducted 23 site visits and ten cafeteria waste assessments.
• Engaged 22 schools through outreach efforts to assist with a variety of inquiries, including starting compost and recycling programs, conducting waste assessments, and giving green team presentations on sustainability topics.
• Provided recommendations reducing 214,000 pounds of waste (i.e., excess food prep, single-use items such as trays).
• Provided recommendations diverting 853,000 pounds of materials from the trash to recycling, share tables, compost, and liquid pour buckets.
• Estimated waste recommendations could save the ten assessed schools up to $1.4M in reduced procurement costs of food, as well as hauling fees and waste-related taxes.

Approximately 20% of recommendations were implemented, resulting in $1,950 in savings for schools and 26,100 pounds of waste diverted. An additional $268,000 in economic savings is anticipated from planned implementations, equating to 292,000 pounds of waste reduced or diverted.

Key insights and learnings from our second year on this project include:

• Driving recommendations through to implementation remains challenging. Staffing capacity, lack of funding, inconsistent education, widespread contamination issues, and district-level decision-making continue to influence how schools manage materials in cafeterias.
• Schools showed hesitation in reducing pickup frequency—even when better diversion, especially of organics, could be achieved— because schools are unsure how to amend their contracts or whether to downsize pickups or dumpster sizes.
• Uncertainty persists around share tables. Cafeteria staff, teachers, and leadership remain unclear about whether share tables are allowed.
• Even when recommendations are not planned to be implemented, schools remain interested in educational resources for classroom instruction.
• There is a growing interest in conducting two food waste audits during a school year: one to establish a baseline of data around current waste practices and the second to measure progress after implementing certain recommendations.
• Schools are interested in a unified approach to sustainability, particularly at a district level. MnTAP’s work with Eden Prairie demonstrated this level of strategic thinking.

Three things MnTAP remains focused on as we pivot to the second half of this grant (2026-2028) are:

• Following up with schools to ensure consistent labeling of bins throughout their buildings. Examples of Hennepin County signage materials available to schools can be found here.
• Assisting schools with grant applications for projects requiring funding. Hennepin County grant information can be found here.
• Ensuring schools implement what they can with their available staff, time, and financial resources.

If your school is interested in waste and recycling technical assistance, please reach out!

Contact

Jon Schroeder – Sustainable Materials Management Specialist
jschro@umn.edu
612-624-4645

Ramsey/Washington Waste Reduction Grant Expansion

The Waste Reduction and Innovation Grant (WRIG) available to businesses in Ramsey and Washington Counties has recently expanded to cover solid waste reduction, hazardous waste reduction, air pollution reduction, and water pollution reduction. Whether you’re looking to switch to safer chemicals, eliminate an industrial hazardous waste, or save on fuel this winter, a no-cost MnTAP assessment and $50,000 WRIG grant can help you get your project moving!

MnTAP helps businesses brainstorm project ideas, quantify savings potential, and assist with grant applications. While this grant is expected to be available again next year, substantial funding is available right now to fund projects in 2026. There is no better time than now to reach out to MnTAP to schedule an initial Zoom call for introductions and early project brainstorming.

After the initial call, MnTAP will schedule a no-cost site assessment to meet with your team and gather information on your project. The MnTAP team will then summarize your planned project in a recommendation letter that includes estimates of your project’s environmental and cost savings potential. Finally, MnTAP will schedule a Zoom call to work through the core of the grant application. The process is designed to be as simple as possible to help you launch your P2 project.

Some recent project ideas include:

• Transitioning from a chemical-based to laser-based wood refinishing system.
• Switching from a solvent-based to an aqueous-based paint system.
• Converting solvent-based parts washers to water-based alternatives.
• Replacing gas-powered equipment with electric alternatives.

Ultimately, these projects help businesses reduce waste and pollution while upgrading equipment and modernizing industry. Email MnTAP to schedule your no-cost assessment!

Contact

Jon Vanyo – Senior Engineer
  jvanyo@umn.edu
612-624-4683

Rake and Sweep Away Those Fall Leaves!

As autumn arrives and temperatures begin to drop, deciduous trees shed their leaves to conserve energy in preparation for winter. Conscientious environmental stewards face the perennial conundrum of deciding which leaves to leave untouched for natural fertilizer and wildlife habitat and which leaves to remove to avoid sending excess nutrients into nearby waters. To help, this article summarizes tips that MnTAP has shared in past fall newsletters and explores how street sweeping—whether carried out by a local municipality or a hired contractor—can be a valuable tool in fall leaf management.

General Leaf Management Tips

The key takeaway is that fallen leaves should always be cleared from impervious surfaces. These include streets, driveways, parking lots, and sidewalks. Leaves should not be raked or blown onto the street. This is because rain washes decomposing leaves from these surfaces into storm drains that lead to local streams, lakes, and rivers. In turn, excess nutrients, such as phosphorus, from these leaves can contribute to algal blooms in the summer. Not only are some algae, such as certain blue-green species, toxic to humans and animals, but algal blooms also block sunlight from reaching underwater vegetation, which can stress fish populations.

While strategies will depend on individual landscaping goals, some eco-friendly practices include:

• Rake leaves during calm, windless days, and raking dry leaves will be easier than raking wet leaves after rainfall.
• Rake leaves into specific piles over soil, lawn, or plants to allow them to break down naturally while preventing them from collecting in stormwater runoff paths.
• Leave intact leaves on top of flower beds and landscaped areas. These can be especially beneficial for perennial plants and help improve soil health.
• Mulch or shred leaves in areas where thick matting usually forms. Matted grass can block oxygen and contribute to lawn disease. Traditional mowers can cut leaves down if they are set to the highest setting and pass over the leaves at least twice. Alternatively, purchasing a $100 to $300 mulching kit can speed up the process because kits can handle higher leaf piles in one pass.
• Rake leaves into a compost pile that is in compliance with local municipal compost ordinances and requirements for businesses and organizations. Consider also mixing green material (e.g., fruit or vegetable scraps and fresh lawn clippings) with old leaves to ensure a healthy composting environment.
• Bag raked leaves and bring them to official disposal sites designated for businesses or organizations. Visit the local municipality’s website to check the availability of commercial or public disposal sites (website for Hennepin County; website for Ramsey County).
• Avoid burning leaves or putting leaves in plastic bags for trash. Burning leaves is illegal in many communities, and a Minnesota Statute explicitly forbids putting leaves and other yard waste into regular trash.
• Use pond skimmers at least three times a week during the fall to clear leaves from commercial ponds or other large-scale water features. If leaves are already piling up on the pond’s surface, consider investing in a net or wet vacuum to clean up leaves before they sink further. Installing leaf nets over ponds to catch leaves before they fall into the water can also be useful for ponds or water bodies with fish and other animals.

Finally, be prepared to rake, mulch, or bag leaves once every two weeks or even twice a week. Trees may shed their leaves throughout the autumn season rather than in a single one-time drop.

Combining Leaf Collection with Street Sweeping

A 2023 study in Wisconsin found that biweekly leaf collection combined with weekly mechanical-broom street sweeping resulted in up to 51% less phosphorus and 52% less nitrogen compared with no effort to remove fallen leaves. Another 2020 study concluded that rigorous collection programs without street cleaning did not make a measurable difference in reducing the quantity of phosphorus in storm runoff; it suggested that significant phosphorus reduction was tied to physically clearing leaf litter from the streets through sweeping.

Many businesses and organizations already benefit from their local municipalities performing routine street sweeps on shared public roads near their property. However, some might want to consider hiring sweeping services, which may be priced between $0.03 and $0.15 per square foot, for their parking lots or other impervious surfaces in privately owned areas that can accumulate leaf litter. Entities, particularly municipal water permittees or industrial facilities, may also benefit from mass-based credits for phosphorus reductions associated with street sweeping offered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) if they decide to carry out their own sweeping.

Regardless of which route is picked, sweeping services’ effectiveness can be augmented by the following practices and considerations that have been modified from MPCA’s recommendations:

• Pinpoint and prioritize leaf collection and sweeping services in the following two areas:
  1. Areas with high tree canopy cover.
  2. Areas that flow into local water bodies or storm drains with direct access to local water bodies. This is particularly important if local lakes, rivers, streams, and other water bodies already have significant phosphorus and sediment impairments. A list of impaired waters can be found on this MPCA webpage.
• Train employees to not rake or blow leaves onto the street, which many cities have ordinances against. Uncontained leaves that are left on the street are just one gust of wind or one rainfall away from ending up in a stormwater drain or a water body. Uncontained leaves can also clog up gutters before sweepers arrive. It is important to collect and dispose of leaves appropriately, such as bagging, mulching, composting, or moving to flower beds away from stormwater runoff paths.
• Consider contracting for sweeping before large rainfalls are expected to reduce the likelihood that leaves will leach nutrients into stormwater.

By following these guidelines, everyone can enjoy comfortable temperatures, beautiful changing leaves, Halloween festivities, and autumnal coziness without worrying about uncollected leaves harming our water environments.

Author

Jocelyn Leung – Communications Specialist

Events

Smart Salting: Roads Certification Training
MPCA

Event 1: October 1, 2026, 8:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Location: Waconia Fire Department, 10451 10th St West, Waconia, MN 55387

Event 2: October 6, 2026, 8:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Location: Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, 2522 Marshall St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418 

In-person, Free

City, county, or state winter maintenance professionals are the intended audience. Participants will learn how to integrate science with practical winter maintenance while minimizing impacts on the environment. Upon completion of training and passing the test issued at the end of training, participants will earn a Smart Salting certification that expires 5 years from the date of training. Select the highlighted green dates above to access the appropriate registration page.

Smart Salting: Property Management Certification Training
MPCA

October 13, 2026, 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Virtual, Free

Property managers, environmental professionals and advocates, business owners, those who hire private winter maintenance professionals, MS4 and Wastewater permit staff, and public works directors or other high-level management roles are the intended audience. Participants will learn how to reduce damage caused by salt, that reducing salt use can save money while providing safe surfaces, ways to encourage your maintenance crew to use sustainable practices, address liability concerns, and the basics of snow and ice management tools. Upon completion of training and passing the test issued at the end of training, participants will earn a Smart Salting certification that expires three years from the date of training. Learn more and register for this event at this website.

2026 Arrowhead Region Environmental Conference
Air & Waste Management Association- Upper Midwest Section

October 20, 2026, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location: Black Woods Event Center – 195 Highway 2, Proctor, MN, 55810

In-Person, $135 for AWMA and SWANA Members and $165 for non-members

This all-day conference will bring together environmental professionals representing industry, consultants, government, and academia, in the areas of air quality, water quality, brownfields, emerging constituents, and waste management. Through technical sessions, attendees will learn about emerging issues, relevant industry topics and have the opportunity to network with other professionals. This year’s event includes discussions on relevant regulatory updates, addressing PFAS, waste management case studies, and case studies related to remediation and risk mitigation. A draft agenda will be provided soon. Kelsey Klucas, MnTAP Director, will be presenting during the 2:30 session on, “Scaling SCWO: Real-World Insights from St. Cloud`s Regional PFAS Destruction Pilot.” This project is funded by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) and is in partnership with Barr Engineering, University of St. Thomas, Saint Cloud Nutrient, Energy, and Water (NEW) Recovery Facility, and 374Water. Learn more about this conference and register at this website.

Smart Salting: Parking Lots & Sidewalks Certification Training
MPCA

October 20, 2026, 8:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Location: Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, 2522 Marshall St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418

In-person, Free

Public and private winter maintenance staff, winter maintenance contractors, parks staff, hospital and school winter maintenance professionals, and any others who maintain parking lots & sidewalks for your business or organization are the intended audience. Participants will learn how to integrate science with practical winter maintenance while minimizing impacts on the environment. Upon completion of training and passing the test issued at the end of training, participants will earn a Smart Salting certification that expires five years from the date of training. Learn more and register for this event at this website.

2026 Salt Symposium
Minnesota Cold Climate Stormwater Center of Excellence (CCSCoE)

October 27 to 28, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Virtual, $199 for professionals and $99 for students for full 2-day conference

Now hosted by the University of Minnesota Cold Climate Stormwater Center of Excellence (CCSCoE), the Symposium continues its long-standing mission of bringing together researchers, public agencies, industry leaders, educators, and practitioners to advance innovative, science-based solutions for managing salt use in cold climates. Building on more than two decades of collaboration and leadership established by Fortin Consulting, the Freshwater Society, and Bolton & Menk, the 2026 Salt Symposium will expand opportunities for research, training, and cross-sector collaboration focused on protecting infrastructure, water resources, and community safety while designing a lower salt future.

The program will feature researchers, practitioners, agencies, consultants, educators, and industry professionals giving presentations highlighting case studies, policy initiatives, technology advancements, operational practices, training approaches, emerging research, and cross-sector partnerships related to salt management and water resource protection. Topics of interest may include: winter maintenance best practices, chloride reduction strategies, low salt design strategies, stormwater and watershed management, sustainable infrastructure and design, smart salting technologies and innovation, environmental monitoring and impacts, public education and behavior change, policy, planning, and implementation case studies, and research and applied science. Learn more and register for this event at this website.

Funding Opportunities

• Greater MN waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting grants (MPCA): Application deadline is 4:30 PM on October 13, 2026. MPCA has approximately $1 million for projects that increase the efficiency or effectiveness of waste reduction, reuse, recycling, or composting programs. The agency seeks projects that reduce material entering landfills in Greater Minnesota. These projects may benefit the community and environment as well as local economies.
• CFS: Statewide organics management programs grant (MPCA): Application deadline is 4:00 PM on November 25, 2026. The MPCA has approximately $6 million available to support organics management programs across the state that will expand participation in Minnesota’s organics recycling system and reduce the amount of wasted food and food scraps disposed of through landfilling or incineration. Grant funding will support projects focused on organics collection programs, outreach and education that improve or increase organics recycling, and/or market development for finished compost and anaerobic digestion outputs. Projects focusing primarily on organics processing facilities such as compost sites and anaerobic digesters are not eligible. 
• Treatment technology test on PFAS landfill liquid waste (MPCA): Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with the final deadline being 4:00 PM. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Closed Landfill Program (CLP) is responsible for the long-term care and maintenance of certain closed mixed municipal waste landfills in the state. This RFP is intended to provide a mechanism for interested parties to acquire a limited volume of landfill liquid waste from the Washington County, Waste Disposal Engineering (WDE), Olmsted County Oronoco, Rice Lake, Anoka-Ramsey, or Koochiching closed landfills in the CLP for PFAS treatment technology testing purposes. Approved applicants will communicate and coordinate sample collection and containerization with MPCA’s authorized representative when they are on site for routine sampling. 
• CSFS: Industrial innovation in food systems – implementation (MPCA): Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until 5:00 PM on October 1, 2026. A new RFP is expected October 9, 2026 with grant documents accessible via the SWIFT supplier portal. Check that page for updates. The MPCA is soliciting proposals to distribute $40 million in grant funding to support industrial food and beverage manufacturers and food system organic waste processors across Minnesota. Funding is intended to execute capital expenditure (capex) projects at facilities that will improve operational efficiency, reduce operating costs, and lessen environmental impacts by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, criteria air pollutants, hazardous air pollutants, and/or waste.
• CSFS: Natural refrigerants in retail food refrigeration and cold storage (MPCA): Applications are awarded on a first-come, first served basis within each refrigeration sector with the final deadline being May 27, 2027. The MPCA is accepting applications for grants to reduce refrigerant emissions in retail food refrigeration, cold storage, and food assistance programs in Minnesota. Refrigeration projects must include replacing existing equipment to use a natural refrigerant such as, but not limited to, carbon dioxide (R-744), ammonia (R-717), and propane (R-290). Eligible applicants include for-profit businesses with up to 150 retail food refrigeration facilities company-wide; government entities, Tribes, non-profits, or non-profit education institution; non-profits; and for-profit businesses with 500 full-time employees or fewer with cold storage. The RFP will remain open, and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all dedicated funds have been dispersed or until 4 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, May 27, 2027, whichever occurs first.
• Solid Waste Processing Facilities Capital Assistance Program (MPCA): CAP provides financial and technical assistance to local governments to encourage investment in the proper management of solid waste. Eligible applicants are Minnesota cities, counties, solid waste management districts, and sanitary districts. Eligible projects are facilities that advance efforts to reduce waste, reuse materials, and recover resources.
• Environmental assistance loans for capital costs associated with environmental processes and technologies (MPCA & private financial institutions)
• Small business environmental improvement loans [0% interest for capital equipment purchases] (MPCA)
• Funding for brownfield investigation (MPCA)
• Clean Water Partnership loans (MPCA): Second-tier loans allow local entities to make loans to landowners and other stakeholders. 
• Waste Reduction & Innovation Grants (BizRecycling): The Waste Reduction + Innovation Grant (WRIG) is available to eligible schools, businesses and nonprofits for planning, equipment, supplies and capital improvements that result in the significant reduction of solid waste and/or pollution created. Waste and pollution reduction projects can take many different forms, including reusing source materials, bulk purchasing, packaging changes, transitions to alternative chemicals, technology enhancements and production redesign. One-time grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded to eligible entities for planning, equipment, supplies and capital improvements that result in a significant reduction of solid waste and/or pollution created. Awardees must contribute a 10% cash match of the total project cost.
• Food Waste Prevention + Recovery Grant: Up to $20,000 for eligible food businesses, food shelves, and farmers markets to recover surplus edible food to distribute to people in need.
• Recycling Grants (BizRecycling): Up to $10,000 for eligible businesses and up to $20,000 for eligible apartment buildings to improve recycling and food waste collection.
• Bin-Only Grants (BizRecycling): Helps small businesses kickstart or improve recycling and organics collection with up to $2,500 in trash, recycling, and organics bins and equipment.
• Safety Grant Program [Up to $10,000] (MNOSHA WSC): For projects designed to reduce the risk of illness or injury to their employees. Applications are reviewed over two-month intervals.