A city task force has been meeting in the past year with the goal of improving recycling rates in Sioux Falls. In 2022, 211,251 tons of municipal solid waste (garbage) came to the Sioux Falls Regional Landfill, while construction and demolition materials were at 218,290. City ordinance requires commercial garbage haulers to achieve at least an 80% or the recycling goal which was 20.5% in 2022.
The overall recycling rate for Sioux Falls commercial garbage haulers in 2022 was 18.7% with the highest hauler reaching 22.9% and lowest hauler reaching 16.5%. The national average recycling rate was 32% in 2022, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Five years ago, Sioux Falls area haulers reported a 23.4% recycling rate. That same year, Millennium Recycling, a recycling business in Sioux Falls, stopped accepting plastic bags for recycling. During the most recent city council budget hearing, councilor Rich Merkouris asked the city public works department about the 18.7% garbage hauler recycling goal in 2023.