Recycling program to begin in early 2026

Otter Tail County is taking a significant step toward the long-range strategic plan for countywide single-sort curbside recycling with the launch of a pilot program beginning January 2026 in the southeast quadrant. Thanks to grant funding from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), residents in the cities of Battle Lake and Henning will receive 18 months of free curbside single-sort recycling service.

The pilot program will also extend to Parkers Prairie and lakefront property owners on Blanche, Clitherall, Eagle, East Battle, East Leaf, Middle Leaf, Stuart, West Battle, West Leaf and Silver lakes. Rural residents in the southeast quadrant outside these designated areas can opt into the program by contacting their waste hauler for pricing and service arrangements.

“This pilot represents the first phase of our vision to bring convenient, single-sort curbside recycling to residents of Otter Tail County,” said Natalee Yates, Solid Waste Public Education and Information Officer. “We’re building on our county’s strong environmental record and making recycling easier than ever — no more sorting required.”

What is single-sort curbside recycling?

Single-sort curbside recycling allows residents to place all recyclable materials—paper, cardboard, plastics, metals and glass—into one bin without separating them. The blue and yellow bin is then scheduled for pick up and emptied by local licensed haulers.

Otter Tail County currently operates a hybrid system, with the cities of Fergus Falls and Perham already having single-sort curbside collection, while most of the county uses source-separated recycling at drop-off sites.

What to expect: Approximately 3,000 recycling carts have been distributed to eligible households. Residents who have received bins and do not wish to participate should contact the Solid Waste Department at (218) 998-8950 to arrange for bin pickup.

For rural southeast area residents: Those outside the grant-funded service areas can arrange fee-based recycling pickup by contacting their waste hauler. A complete list of licensed haulers is available at www.ottertailcounty.gov/recycling-waste-disposal/garbage/solid-waste-hauler-list/.

The recycling will be picked up at the doorstep of properties at a minimum of every other week. Each property owner will receive a free 95 gallon tub to utilize for the recycling program, and thanks to the grant the county received, there will be no cost to property owners for at least 18 months. Should the county not receive additional grant funding after 18 months, the cost could fall back onto property owners to continue the single-stream recycling at their property moving forward.

As far as what can be accepted as part of the new program, all #1-7 plastic, aluminum cans, tin cans, cardboard, office/newspaper/magazine paper, boxboard and glass. By going with a single-sort option, property owners do not need to sort their items before hauling the canister to the curb for pick up. All of the items can be put into one cart and hauled to the curb like they would with their garbage pick up each time.

Drop-off sites 

remain available

Source-separated recycling drop-off sites (blue metal bins) will continue to operate countywide at no cost to residents. The new single-sort curbside program provides an additional convenient option but does not replace existing free drop-off locations.

Looking ahead

The southeast quadrant pilot is designed to gather data and resident feedback that will inform the expansion of single-sort recycling to other areas of Otter Tail County. The transition to countywide service is expected to take several years and will be implemented in phases.

“This is just the beginning,” added Chris McConn, Solid Waste Director. “We’re excited to learn from this pilot and work toward making convenient recycling available to households in Otter Tail County.”