Our 2025 Policy Platform: Advancing Zero Waste Solutions

As the 2025 Minnesota legislative session kicks off this month, communities around the country continue to feel the impacts of climate change. Our intensifying climate crisis is directly correlated with our “throw-away” economy – resource extraction, excessive production and consumption, and discarding of trash to be burned and buried in overburdened communities is contributing significantly to the warming of our planet. 

Minnesota is no exception.  In 2022, 2.2 million tons of waste was landfilled and 1.1 million tons was sent to an incinerator. Those numbers are only expected to grow. We cannot afford to continue at this pace. Instead, we need to invest in infrastructure and policies that better manage our resources, reduce waste, support local economies, and build healthy, equitable communities. 

This legislative session we are advocating for a zero waste economy that prioritizes reduction and reuse, including:  

• Ban on State Purchasing of Single-Use Plastic: Single-use plastics have short lifespans yet produce long term environmental and health impacts. This legislation prohibits Minnesota state agencies from purchasing single-use plastic bottles and food service ware. The purchasing power and influence of state agencies can redirect state funds to support a local reuse economy and more sustainable alternatives. 

• Ban on Single-Use Personal Care Products for Service Industry: Small-format plastic personal care products are very difficult to recycle, and thus end up in an incinerator, landfill, or littering our environment. This legislation phases out the use of single-use personal care products packaging in hotels and health clubs, encouraging the use of refillable containers and other more sustainable alternatives. 

• Bottle Deposit Program: States with deposit return systems for beverage containers have higher recycling rates. The legislation establishes a 10-cent deposit on beverage containers, redeemable when consumers return or recycle them. The program will reduce waste, increase recycling rates, promote reuse, support a local feedstock for our supply chain, and create fair and inclusive standards for informal workers. 
• Defending Progress and Fighting False Solutions: As we work to build a zero waste economy, there will be voices that are pushing false solutions. These solutions might appear appealing or well-intentioned but lack the necessary depth, sustainability, or efficacy in dealing with our challenges. Additionally, we will work to protect hard-won policies of the past two years including the Packaging Waste & Cost Reduction Act and the Cumulative Impacts Law. 

Standing with our Zero Waste Partners: 

Additionally, we are proud to support our Minnesota Zero Waste Coalition partners to advance the following policies: 

• 100% Electronic Waste Collection and Recycling Bill: Enables 100% diversion of electronic waste for recycling, paid for by producers. This legislation will greatly reduce waste and help mitigate the flow of improperly discarded batteries which can cause fires in material recovery facilities. (Recycling Electronics for Climate Action) 

• Plastic Bag Preemption: Restores local control by removing the state’s ban on local plastic bag bans. (Clean Water Action)  

• Phthalates in Packaged Food Act (SF188): Requires brand owners to test their packaged food for toxic phthalates to protect public health. (Coalition for Plastic Reduction)  

• Climate Justice Education: Creates a model program to include climate justice education into classrooms across Minnesota. (Climate Generation)

Continue to follow along @eurekarecyling and @mn4zerowaste as we work to make a difference this session and join us in advocating for change! Together we can lead the way toward a zero-waste Minnesota.