Recycling has been in the news a lot lately due to shifts in markets and international policy changes. This has left many Minnesotans wondering what is happening to the recycling placed in their bins, and what they can do now to support recycling.

Support recycling by recycling the right stuff

First of all, know that you're recyclables are getting recycled! Unlike on the coasts where they rely heavily on international markets, recyclers in Minnesota send most of the material they collect to local and regional markets to be processed into new materials. Overall, Minnesotans are good recyclers. We have significantly lower contamination rates, or the amount of stuff placed in the recycling that can’t actually be recycled, than elsewhere in the country. And Minnesota state law prohibits materials separated and collected for recycling from being trashed.

The best thing you can do to support recycling is to make sure know what can be recycled and keep stuff that isn’t accepted out.

Know what goes in your recycling cart

Brush up on the basics to make sure you're recycling the right stuff. See our recycling guide (PDF) for the list of what's accepted.

Keep these items out of your recycling cart

Plastic bags

Plastic bags and wrap get tangled in the equipment at recycling sorting facilities and workers spend hours each day removing them. Plastic bags and wrap can be recycled if brought back to a retail drop-off location.

Bags of recycling

Recycling in bags don’t get properly sorted at the recycling facility, and recyclers can’t tell what’s in the bag. Make sure to place your recycling loose in your recycling cart.

Large plastic items

Large plastic items like laundry baskets, storage bins, lawn furniture, and plastic toys, and other large plastic items can't be recycled. There are not good markets for recycling these items, and they are difficult to sort at recycling facilities. Purchase high-quality items, use them for as long as possible, and donate items that are in good shape when you're ready to get rid of them.

Random metal items

Random metal items such as pots and pans, pipes, hangers, and tools can damage equipment and harm workers at recycling facilities. All metal can be recycled, just not in your recycling cart at home. Take random metal items to a scrap metal recycler; find locations on the Green Disposal Guide.

Propane tanks

Cylinders and tanks contain a compressed gas that makes them explosive and potential fire hazards. It is illegal to put propane tanks, helium tanks, and other pressurized cylinders in your household recycling or trash. Properly dispose of all pressurized cylinders; find options on the Green Disposal Guide.

Single-use plastic utensils and straws

Plastic utensils and straws are too small and difficult to sort at recycling facilities, and there aren’t good recycling markets for them. Avoid them by choosing reusable options or refusing them when you can.

Paper plates,cups, and takeout containers

Paper cups, plates, takeout containers can’t be recycled because they are often lined with plastic or contaminated with food. Avoid them by choosing reusable cups, mugs and plates.

Electronics and batteries

Electronics and batteries can’t be sorted properly at recycling facilities, and certain batteries can cause fires at facilities. But batteries and electronics should be recycled at drop-offs. Learn options for batteries and electronics on the Green Disposal Guide.

Cords and string lights

Keep “tanglers” like cords, hoses and string lights out of your recycling bin. As the name suggests, these items get tangled in the equipment at recycling facilities. You can recycle cords and string lights at Hennepin County drop-off facilities. Learn more on the Green Disposal Guide.

Needles and sharps

Needles and sharps should be managed and disposed of safely to prevent injury and disease transmission from needle-sticks. They should never be placed in your recycling cart. Learn about disposal options on the Green Disposal Guide.

Your city recycling coordinator is your point person for information about recycling, trash disposal and special clean ups in your city.

City recycling coordinators

2019 upcoming city cleanup events

Many cities offer cleanup events or special pick-up service for residents to properly dispose of common, hard-to-get-rid-of household items such as appliances, electronics, furniture and more. Check with your city for details on accepted items, possible fees, times and locations before the clean-up event.

Event information will be posted here as it becomes available.

Cities with no cleanup event

• Edina
• Medicine Lake
• Minneapolis
• Richfield
• Robbinsdale
• Woodland

2019 past events

Bloomington

Curbside collection on five Saturdays beginning April 6:

• April 6: West city boundary to Normandale Boulevard
• April 13: Normandale Boulevard to France Avenue
• April 20: France Avenue to Penn Avenue
• April 27: Penn Avenue to Portland Avenue
• May 4: Portland Avenue to east city boundary

Learn about the Bloomington cleanup efforts.

Brooklyn Center (with Brooklyn Park, Crystal and New Hope)

Drop-off: Saturday, April 27, at the Brooklyn Park Operations and Maintenance Facility, 8300 Noble Avenue North

Brooklyn Park (with Brooklyn Center, Crystal and New Hope)

Drop-off:

• Saturday, October 12, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Brooklyn Park Operations and Maintenance Facility, 8300 Noble Avenue North

Learn more about the Brooklyn Park event.

Champlin

Drop-off: Saturday, May 18, at Champlin Cinema 14, 11500 Theatre Drive

Learn more about Champlin's event.

Corcoran

Drop-off: Saturday, May 4, at the Corcoran Public Works Facility, 9100 County Road 19

Learn about Corcoran's cleanup event.

Dayton

Drop-off: Saturday, May 4, at Dayton City Hall, 12260 Diamond Lake Road South 

Deephaven

• Drop-off for disposable items: Saturday, May 11, at Deephaven City Hall
• Curbside pick-up for yard, shrub, and tree waste: Saturday, May 11
• Curbside pick-up for appliances and electronics: Monday, May 13

Eden Prairie

Drop-off: Saturday, June 15, at Hennepin Technical College, 13100 Collegeview Drive

Learn more about Eden Prairie's drop-off day.

Excelsior

Curbside pick-up: Saturday, May 11

Learn more about Excelsior's pick-up day.

Golden Valley

Drop-off: Saturday, October 5 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Brookview Park

Learn more about the Golden Valley event.

Brush pick-up

• Schedule varies by area
• View Golden Valley's spring pick-up schedule

Greenfield

Drop-off: Saturday, May 4, at Buffalo Bituminous Pit on Greenfield Road

Greenwood

Curbside: Saturday, May 18

Learn more about Greenwood's clean-up day.

Hanover

Drop-off: Saturday, May 18, at Hanover City Hall, 11250 – 5th Street Northeast

Hopkins

Drop-offs:

Hopkins Public Works Building, 11100 Excelsior Boulevard

• Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27
• Friday, September 27, from 3 to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, September 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Learn more about the Hopkins fall event.

Independence (with Maple Plain)

Drop-off: Saturday, May 4, 1920 County Road 90 in Independence

Long Lake (with Minnetonka Beach and Orono)

Drop-off: Saturday, April 27, at the Orono Public Works Building, 2700 Kelley Parkway

Loretto

Curbside pick-up: Tuesday, May 21

Learn more about pick-up day in Loretto.

Maple Grove

• Curbside pick-up: Monday, May 6
• Drop-off: Saturday, May 11 at the Maple Grove Public Works Facility, 9030 Forestview Lane

• Curbside pick-up: Monday, September 30
• Drop-off: Saturday, October 5, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Maple Grove Public Works Facility, 9030 Forestview Lane

Learn more about Maple Grove's city cleanup efforts. 

Medina

Drop-off: Saturday, April 27, at the Medina Public Works/Police Facility, 600 Clydesdale Trail

Minnetonka

Drop-off:

• Saturday, June 1, at Minnetonka Public Works, 11522 Minnetonka Boulevard
• Saturday, September 7 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Minnetonka Public Works, 11522 Minnetonka Boulevard

Learn more about Minnetonka's special drop-off day.

Minnetrista (with Mound)

Drop-off: Saturday, May 11 at Minnetrista City Hall, 7701 County Road 110 West

Learn more about Minnetrista's cleanup day.

Osseo

Drop-off: Saturday, April 27, at Osseo Public Works, 800 Broadway Street East

Learn more about Osseo's cleanup day.

Plymouth

Drop-off: Saturday, May 4, at the Plymouth Maintenance Facility, 14900 – 23rd Avenue North

Rockford

Drop-off: Saturday, May 4, at the Rockford Public Works Facility, 6551 Utility Drive

Rogers

Drop-off: Saturday, May 18 at the Rogers Public Works Building, 22350 South Diamond Lake Road

Shorewood

Drop-off: Saturday, May 18 at the, Shorewood Public Works Facility, 24200 Smithtown Road

Spring Park

Contact the city for details at 952-471-9051.

St. Anthony

Drop-off: Saturday, May 4, at the St. Anthony Public Works Facility, 3801 Chandler Drive

Learn more about St. Anthony's annual clean-up day.

St. Bonifacius

Drop-off: Saturday, May 4, at the St. Bonifacius Public Works Facility, 8991 Partridge Road

Learn more about city-wide clean-up efforts in St. Bonifacius.

St. Louis Park

Drop-off:

• Saturday, June 8. at the St. Louis Park Municipal Service Center, 7305 Oxford Street
• Saturday, September 21, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Louis Park Municipal Service Center, 7305 Oxford Street

Learn more about city cleanup days in St. Louis Park. 

Tonka Bay

Curbside collection: Saturday, September 21

Wayzata

Curbside pick-up: Saturday, May 4

• View the Wayzata event flyer (PDF)

Property owners are required to provide residents with the opportunity to recycle. Contact your building manager or association to find out where recycling bins are located and what type of sorting system is used at your property. Call your city recycling coordinator if this service is not available.

Contact your building manager or association to find out where recycling bins are located and what type of sorting system is used at your property.

Call your city recycling coordinator if this service is not available.

Learn about the assistance and resources available from Hennepin County.

Volunteer to promote recycling

Show your commitment to the environment by becoming a master recycler/composter volunteer. After completing training and education, master recyclers work in their communities to inspire others to reduce waste. Learn about the master recycler/composter program.

If your organization needs help with a recycling program, you can request a master recycler/composter volunteer. To receive these resources, email the master recycler/composter program coordinator, Carolyn Collopy, at carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us.

Support businesses that recycle

The county recognizes businesses for their efforts to recycle, donate leftover edible food to food rescue agencies, or divert organic waste to composting or animal feed. Participating businesses are added to the county's online directory and receive decals, displays and table tents to communicate to customers their commitment to the environment. Learn more about the Environmental Partners program.

Stay informed

Connect with Hennepin Environment on Facebook and @hennepinenviro on Twitter.

To receive information about environmental news, programs and events, sign up for the Green Notes newsletter.