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

City	Phone number
Bloomington	952-563-4659
Brooklyn Center	763-493-8007
Brooklyn Park	763-493-8006
Champlin	763-421-8100
Chanhassen	952-361-1800
Corcoran	763-420-2288
Crystal	763-493-8006
Dayton	763-421-1791
Deephaven	952-890-1100
Eden Prairie	952-949-8330
Edina	952-826-0463
Excelsior	952-474-5233
Golden Valley	763-593-8030
Greenfield	763-477-6464
Greenwood	952-358-9935
Hanover	763-972-3335
Hopkins	952-939-1382
Independence	763-479-0527
Long Lake	952-473-6961
Loretto	763-479-4305
Maple Grove	763-494-6361
Maple Plain	763-479-3335
Medina	763-473-4643
Medicine Lake	763-542-9701
Minneapolis	612-673-2917
Minnetonka	952-988-8414
Minnetonka Beach	952-941-5174
Minnetrista	952-446-1660
Mound	952-472-0603
New Hope	763-493-8006
Orono	952-249-4600
Osseo	763-425-2624
Plymouth	763-509-5906
Richfield	612-861-9366
Robbinsdale	763-537-4534
Rockford (PDF)	763-477-6565
Rogers	763-428-2253
St. Anthony	763-784-8349
St. Bonifacius	952-446-1061
St. Louis Park	952-924-2562
Shorewood	952-960-7900
Spring Park	952-471-9051
Tonka Bay	952-474-7994
Wayzata	763-404-5366
Woodland	952-474-4755

2021 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.

Bloomington

Curbside collection on five Saturdays beginning April 6:

• April 3: Normandale Boulevard to west city boundary (Friday garbage and recycling day)
• April 10: France Avenue to Normandale Boulevard (Thursday garbage and recycling day)
• April 17: Penn Avenue to France Avenue (Wednesday garbage and recycling day)
• April 24: Portland Avenue to Penn Avenue (Tuesday garbage and recycling day)
• May 1: East city boundary to Portland Avenue (Monday garbage and recycling day)

Learn about the Bloomington cleanup efforts.

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

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Brooklyn Park Operations and Maintenance Facility, 8300 Noble Avenue North

Learn more about the Brooklyn Center event.

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

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Brooklyn Park Operations and Maintenance Facility, 8300 Noble Avenue North

Learn more about the Brooklyn Park event.

Champlin

Curbside pick-up for appliances only: Monday, May 17, have materials out by 7 a.m.

Corcoran

Drop-off: Saturday, May 1 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Public Works Facility

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

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Brooklyn Park Operations and Maintenance Facility, 8300 Noble Avenue North

Learn more about the Crystal event.

Dayton

Drop-off: Saturday, May 1, at Dayton City Hall, 12260 Diamond Lake Road South

Deephaven

Drop-off for disposable items: Saturday, May 8, at Deephaven City Hall

Eden Prairie

• Recycling drop-off: Saturday, April 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Curbside pick-up: Monday, April 19 to Friday, May 14 by appointment
• Drop-off: Saturday, June 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hennepin Technical College, 13100 Collegeview Drive

Learn more about Eden Prairie's spring recycling and disposal events.

Excelsior

Curbside pick-up: Saturday, May 22, have materials out by 6:45 a.m.

Learn more about the Excelsior cleanup day.

Golden Valley

Drop-off: Saturday, October 9

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, May1 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Gravel Pit North of Woodland Trail on Greenfield Rd

Greenwood

Curbside pick-up: Saturday, May 22

Learn more about the Greenwood pick-up day.

Hanover

Drop-off: Saturday, May 15 from 8 a.m. to noon at Hanover Public Works, 11149 Fifth Street NE

Hopkins

Drop-offs:

Hopkins Public Works Building, 11100 Excelsior Boulevard

• Friday, April 23 from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Friday, September 24 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

Drop-off: Monday, April 26 through Thursday, April 29 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 30 from 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 1 from 9 a.m. to noon at 1920 County Road 90 in Independence.

Long Lake (with Minnetonka Beach and Orono)

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Orono Public Works, 2700 Kelley Parkway

Learn more about the Long Lake, Orono, and Minnetonka Beach cleanup (PDF).

Loretto

Curbside pick-up: Tuesday, May 18

Learn more about pick-up day in Loretto.

Maple Grove

• Curbside pick-up: Monday, May 17
• Drop-off: Saturday, May 22 at the Maple Grove Public Works Facility, 9030 Forestview Lane

Learn more about Maple Grove's city cleanup efforts.

Maple Plain

Drop-off: Saturday, May 15 from 8 a.m. to noon at Maple Plain Public Works Facility, 1645 Pioneer Avenue

Learn more about the Maple Plain cleanup event (PDF).

Medina

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Medina Public Works/Police Facility, 600 Clydesdale Trail

Minnetonka

Drop-off:

• Saturday, June 5 at Minnetonka Public Works, 11522 Minnetonka Boulevard
• Saturday, September 11 at Minnetonka Public Works 11522 Minnetonka Boulevard

Minnetonka Beach (with Long Lake and Orono)

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Orono Public Works, 2700 Kelley Parkway

Learn more about the Long Lake, Orono, and Minnetonka Beach cleanup (PDF).

Minnetrista (with Mound)

Drop-off: Saturday, May 8 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 7701 County Road 110 West in Minnetrista

Learn more about the Minnetrista and Mound cleanup event (PDF).

Mound (with Minnetrista)

Drop-off: Saturday, May 8 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 7701 County Road 110 West in Minnetrista

Learn more about the Minnetrista and Mound cleanup event (PDF).

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

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Brooklyn Park Operations and Maintenance Facility, 8300 Noble Avenue North

Learn more about the New Hope event.

Orono (with Long Lake and Minnetonka Beach)

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Orono Public Works, 2700 Kelley Parkway

Learn more about the Long Lake, Orono, and Minnetonka Beach cleanup (PDF).

Osseo

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to noon at Osseo Public Works, 800 Broadway Street East

Plymouth

Drop-off: Saturday, April 24 at the Plymouth Maintenance Facility, 14900 23rd Avenue North

Rockford

Drop-off: Saturday, May 1 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Rockford Public Works Building: 6551 Utility Drive

Rogers

Drop-off: Saturday, May 22 at the Rogers Public Works Building, 22350 South Diamond Lake Road

Shorewood

• Spring cleanup drop-off: Saturday, May 15 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 24200 Smithtown Road (County Road 19). Learn more about the spring cleanup.
• Paper shredding drop-off: Saturday, May 15 from 9 a.m. to noon at the City Hall parking lot, 5755 Country Club Road. Learn more about the shred event.

Spring Park

Curbside pick-up: Saturday, May 8, have materials out by 7 a.m.

Learn more about the Spring Park cleanup event (PDF).

St. Anthony

Drop-off: Saturday, May 1 from 9 a.m. to noon at the St. Anthony Public Works Facility, 3801 Chandler Drive

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

St. Louis Park

Drop-off:

• Saturday, June 12 at the St. Louis Park Municipal Service Center, 7305 Oxford Street
• Saturday, September 18 at St. Louis Park Municipal Service Center, 7305 Oxford Street

Paper shredding events

• Wednesday, June 9 from 8 a,m. to noon at Creekside Park, 7341 Oxford Street
• Tuesday, September 14 from 8 a.m. to noon at Creekside Park, 7341 Oxford Street

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

Tonka Bay

Drop-off: Saturday, September 11.

Wayzata

Curbside pick-up: Saturday, May 1

View the Wayzata event flyer (PDF)

Cities with no cleanup event

• Edina
• Medicine Lake
• Minneapolis
• Richfield
• Robbinsdale
• Woodland
• St. Bonifacius

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.

Stay informed

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

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