Minneapolis-St. Paul Dump Fees & Disposal Guide for Junk Removal Operators
Current 2026 tipping fees for Twin Cities landfills, transfer stations, and drop-off facilities. MSW from $77–$150/ton plus Minnesota's 17% solid waste tax.
Use the guidance with your local numbers.
Resource pages explain the planning model, but local disposal rates, labor costs, truck setup, service area, and customer demand still decide the final operating choice.
Typical disposal costs
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Facilities and transfer stations
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Restrictions and paperwork
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Cost-saving playbook
Minnesota's 17% solid waste management tax is a hidden margin killer that many operators don't factor into their quotes. On a $101/ton Dem-Con MSW load, the tax adds $17.17 per ton — on a 3-ton load, that is $51.51 in tax alone on top of $303 in base disposal. ScaleYourJunk tracks dump fees per job including tax so you can build the true all-in disposal cost into every quote and stop underpricing in the Twin Cities' premium disposal market.
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Twin Cities MSW tipping fees range from $77 to $150 per ton before Minnesota's 17% solid waste management tax. Dem-Con in Shakopee charges $101 per ton plus tax for MSW and $52 per ton plus $2/ton tax for C&D. Hennepin County's HERC incinerator charges $150 per ton for non-contract haulers in 2026 (up from $105). Minneapolis South Transfer Station charges $117.86 per ton. Private landfills (Pine Bend, Burnsville, Elk River) don't publish rates but are estimated at $50 to $80 per ton before tax.
Dem-Con in Shakopee charges $52 per ton for C&D with a $77 minimum, plus only $2 per ton in state tax. This is less than half the cost of MSW disposal and far cheaper than the Minneapolis South Transfer Station at $122.05 per ton for C&D. Shingles are even cheaper at Dem-Con at $37 per ton. Always sort construction debris from household junk — the C&D rate advantage plus the dramatically lower state tax ($2/ton versus 17% on MSW) makes material sorting the single highest-impact cost-saving strategy in Minnesota.
Yes, but with restrictions. Minneapolis operates an organized collection system where all 1 to 4 unit residential properties must use city-provided garbage service — private haulers cannot compete for this market within city limits. However, private operators can serve 5+ unit apartment buildings, commercial and industrial properties, and all suburbs. Hennepin County Ordinance 17 requires hauler licensing for private operators in the county — contact (612) 348-7813 or Haulers@hennepin.us for licensing requirements.
The Hennepin Energy Recovery Center, a downtown Minneapolis waste-to-energy facility processing 365,000 tons per year, is on an active closure trajectory. The county board voted unanimously in October 2023 to develop a closure plan, and Minneapolis City Council urged shutdown by the end of 2027. The 2026 non-contract gate rate was raised to $150 per ton to discourage new haulers. When HERC closes, all that tonnage will redirect to landfills, likely driving regional tipping fees up significantly. Plan for rising disposal costs over the next several years.
J.R.'s Advanced Recyclers offers some of the best aluminum rates in the metro at $0.70 per pound for cans and $1.00 per pound for auto rims. They're open Monday through Friday with Saturday morning hours (8 AM to noon). Call for current copper and brass rates, which fluctuate daily. Hennepin County drop-off facilities accept scrap metal for free — useful for small quantities that aren't worth a dedicated scrap yard trip. A Minnesota copper seller license has been required since January 2025 for selling certain copper products to dealers.
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Minnesota's 17% Tax Means Every Untracked Dump Fee Costs You More
ScaleYourJunk tracks disposal costs per job, per facility, including state taxes — so you know your true cost per load in the Twin Cities.