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Recycling in the Twin Cities

Recycling for most items is widely available in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. However, there are some items that require special handling. Let’s start with what is collected curbside.

• Paper. This includes mail, office and school papers. Greeting cards are accepted unless they have excess decoration like glitter or ribbons. Even envelopes with windows are OK. If you shred paper put it in a paper grocery sack and staple it shut. Label it as shredded paper.
• Dry food boxes. Cereal, cake mix, cracker and pasta boxes. A general rule is, if it goes in the fridge or freezer it is not recyclable. Pop and beer cartons have a coating so they cannot be recycled. Egg cartons are not recyclable at this time.
• Newspapers, magazines, catalogs and phone books. The Star Tribune reported that “85% of phone directories are dumped in the trash even though it has been illegal to do so since 1992.” (3-31-08) Put them out with your recycling.
• Flattened cardboard. Bundle with string.
• Plastic bottles. Rinse and toss the caps and lids. If you flip a plastic container over you will find a number inside a triangle. If the number is 1 or 2, you can recycle it at the curb.
• Glass jars. No caps, lids or broken glass are accepted.
• Cans and aluminum foil.
• Batteries. (In Minneapolis place batteries in a clear plastic bag and place them on top of your recycling bin.)
• Electronics in Minneapolis. Two electronic items ( TV’s, computer, monitor, printer, etc.) are allowed on recycling day. Tag with a note that says: Solid Waste. For e-waste disposal in other areas go to www.earth911.com.

What to do with…

• Major Appliances. Large items like air conditioners, dehumidifiers, stoves and microwaves are collected in the city of Minneapolis at no charge. Items must be put out on recycling day with a note that says, “Please take.” St. Paul does not offer this service. Check with your city for disposal options.
• Tires: In Hennepin County, you can bring up to eight tires to the South Transfer Station, at no additional charge. You will need a voucher. Call 612-673- 2917 to get the voucher. St. Paul does not collect tires. They suggest taking auto tires to any tire store for recycling. There will be a small fee.
• Plastic shopping bags. They are not collected curbside but can be disposed of at collection bins in stores like: Cub, Byerly’s, Lund’s, Walmart and Kohl’s.
• All plastics (except #7 or anything without a stamp). Coon Rapids (in Anoka county) is the most progressive recycling center in the area. They accept recyclables numbered 1-6 ( yogurt tubs, fresh fruit containers, Tupperware, plastic shopping bags). They even allow non-residents to drop off. For more information: Coon Rapids.
• Wire (dry-cleaning) hangers. Many dry-cleaners welcome back hangers. Otherwise take them to the County Household Waste Collection site.
• Liquid paint (empty cans can be disposed of in the trash), pesticide, insecticide, weed killer, fluorescent bulbs. Take them to the County Waste Collection Site.
• Packing peanuts or solid Styrofoam. Coon Rapids accepts these. Many packaging stores will reuse them. I take mine to the UPS Store (Midway Center) 1360 University Avenue in St. Paul.
• Crayons. Crayons are a petroleum product and take years to biodegrade. Keep them out of the landfill by donating them to a company called Crazy Crayons. www.crazycrayons.com.
  
  Mail to:
  LAF Lines, Ltd.,
  721 Village Road
  Pelican Lake, WI 54463
  
  Or donate crayons along with other used school supplies to children in Haiti: Hands of Friendship in New Prague, MN collects new and used school supplies for children in Haiti. Markers, colored pencils, crayons, rulers even partially used notebooks are welcome. 952.758.5114

For everything else.

If you live in Hennepin County, go to www.hennepin.us enter the keyword A-Z; they have an “A to Z How to get rid of it Guide” that lists everything from hearing aids to scrap metal.

Best city collection site:
Coon Rapids Recycling Center. 763-767-6485
www.ci.coon-rapidsmn.us/publicworks/Recycling/

County Collection Sites:
Hennepin County Recycling Center and Transfer Station
8100 Jefferson Highway
Brooklyn Park

South Hennepin Recycling and Problem Waste Drop-Off Center
1400 West 96th Street
Bloomington

Call 612-348-6500 for more details. Or go to: http://www.co.hennepin.mn.us

Other County Collection Sites:
Anoka County 763-323-5730
www.AnokaCounty.us/recycle

Carver County 952-361-1800
www.co.carver.mn.us

Dakota Co. 952-891-7020
www.co.dakota.mn.us/environ

Ramsey Co. 651-633-3279
www.co.ramsey.mn.us/ph/hw/indexhtm

Washington 651-430-6655
www.co.washington.mn.us

Want even more information? Check out these sites:

Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board: They have two campaigns: Rethink Recycling and Electronics Recycling. They offer more detailed information on local legislation and ways to get involved.

Green Guardian, sponsored by the SWMCB, was launched in 2003 to help citizens living in the six-county Twin Cities metro area.

Recycling Association of MN. This site offers facts and educational materials. Plus I love the Curmudgeon’s Guide to Recycling.

For kids, try: Planet Protectors for Kids. There are games and activities to teach kids about recycling and the environment.

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KAREN HENKE is a professional organizer and the owner of Come2Order. With a collection of 17 years work experience in design, space planning and organization, she now helps others come to order.