VIRGINIA, Minn. — The St. Louis County Regional Landfill began accepting municipal solid waste from a five-county region Wednesday, marking the start of a new regional disposal system following the closure of the Moccasin Mike Landfill in Superior, Wisconsin.
Garbage transfer trailers lined up before the landfill opened along Regional Landfill Road in Virginia as trucks arrived carrying waste from the Duluth area, Carlton, Lake, Cook and Koochiching counties.
Effective July 1, the regional landfill became the disposal site for waste managed by Resource Renew, along with Carlton, Lake and Cook counties, which had previously participated in a Joint Powers Agreement that directed waste to the Moccasin Mike Landfill. Koochiching County separately approved an agreement to begin using the St. Louis County facility.
"Our landfill is now a true regional solid waste solution," said County Board Chair Mike Jugovich, who also serves on the county's Solid Waste Subcommittee. " We're doing things properly. We're doing things right, and we're doing things in an environmentally friendly manner. So this is another opportunity to show St. Louis County is a shining star for environmental stewardship."
Commissioner Ashley Grimm, who represents the western portion of Duluth, said the expanded regional partnership balances affordability with environmental protection.
"Not only are we being economically responsible, we're also going to be building some of the best environmental protections in the state. We're really a model. So I'm excited that we're able to provide a practical solution to keep rates affordable but also to look long-term at how we treat our environment."
The St. Louis County Regional Landfill has operated since 1993, serving the county's Solid Waste Management Area, which includes more than 90% of the county geographically. The service area excludes Duluth and neighboring communities within the boundaries of Resource Renew, formerly known as the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District.
County officials expect the expanded service area to approximately double the volume of waste handled at the landfill. Despite the increase, officials said the facility is expected to have a long operational lifespan. The county also continues planning for a new solid waste campus in Canyon.
In recent years, St. Louis County has invested about $22 million through a combination of federal, state and local funding to construct a leachate management system designed to capture and treat PFAS and other "forever chemicals." County officials expect the treatment system to be fully operational in fall 2026.
Additional information about the regional landfill and the St. Louis County Environmental Services Department is available on the county's website.
