There are many things you can recycle in your community. Here are a few examples of items which are typically picked up in curbside recycling programs or at county drop off recycling locations throughout Minnesota.

Please check with a county recycling coordinator or recycling company for specific information about what material is accepted where you live.

Plastics #1 and #2: A majority of communities in Minnesota recycle plastic bottles with a neck that are labeled #1 or #2. What does that number really mean? All it tells you is the type of plastic that product is made from. The Society of Plastic Industry, Inc. developed this coding system to identify plastics by resin types to help workers in recycling centers properly sort resins.

• #1 Plastics are made from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE), which is used primarily in soft drink bottles and other blowmolded containers.
  
• #2 Plastics are made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Milk, juice, laundry detergent, and gallon-sized water jugs are made from blow-molded HDPE.

For more information about recycling other plastics (#3-#6), scroll down further.

Aluminum cans: Aluminum cans are one of the most widely accepted materials in recycling programs throughout all of Minnesota. Aluminum cans as well as foil and aluminum scrap are highly recyclable.

Steel cans: Steel cans include beverage, aerosol, and paint cans. Often referred to as “tin cans”, steel cans are actually made of steel covered with a thin layer of tin. Bi-metal cans have aluminum tops and steel sides and bottoms. The primary markets for steel cans are de-tinners, steel mills, and iron foundries. Propane gas cylinders are used to fuel such items as gas grills, torches, camping lanterns, and some kitchen ranges (often in rural areas). Even when a propane gas cylinder is spent, it contains vapors which make it an explosion hazard. For this reason, partially full or empty propane cylinders should not be placed in the trash. Beyond the companies listed here, you can contact your local pressurized (LP) gas retailer or gas service company and ask if they will take the used cylinders back.

Glass: Generally, most colors of glass bottles are accepted in curbside recycling programs and drop-off recycling centers. Materials that should NOT be recycled with glass include:
• Ceramic cups, plates and pottery
• Drinking glasses
• Heat-resistant ovenware (i.e., Pyrex)
• Laboratory glass
• Light bulbs
• Mirrors
• Windshields and window glass

Paper: Many types of paper can be recycled, like:
• Mail, office and school papers
• Magazines and catalogs
• Newspapers and inserts
• Phone books
• Shredded paper in closed paper bags
• Bathroom tissue rolls and paper towel rolls
• Cardboard boxes
• Cereal boxes, cracker boxes, pasta boxes, cake mix boxes, tissue boxes
• Shoe boxes, gift boxes & electronics boxes

MORE Things You Can Recycle

Appliances: Most appliances today are recycled and disposed of properly. There are many locations all throughout Minnesota where you can bring old appliances to be recycled and disposed of. Check in your local phone book under “appliance recycling” to find an appliance recycler near you or contact your local waste hauler.

Carpet: There are emergent markets for commercial quantities of used carpeting; carpet is often made from fibers which can be recycled into new plastic or plastic derived products. Please check with a county recycling coordinator to find out if you are able to recycle carpet in your area.

Cell Phones: Cell phones are another small electronic item which can and should be recycled properly. Many retailers are starting take back programs to recycle and reuse old cell phones. A few examples include: Sprint, Verizon Wireless, Staples, and Best Buy stores. Please call to confirm recycling programs at the closest store near you. You can also contact RAM for a free ink-jet, cell, PDA, or laptop recycling kit.

CFLs: Compact fluorescent lights are gaining in popularity. They use less energy than incandescent bulbs, but they do contain mercury and must be disposed of properly. You can recycle them at county household hazardous waste drop off sites or by bringing them to the service center at all Home Depot locations and all Menards locations in Minnesota.

Clothing & Textiles: Goodwill Industries accepts all kinds of textiles and clothing for reuse in their stores, items they cannot sell are typically recycled. You can also bring old clothing and textiles to Wipers Recycling in Maplewood, MN, and to U’SAgain drop off bins.

E-Waste includes old computers, printers, fax machines, televisions, radios, audio equipment, cell phones, etc. These items can be harmful to the environment if not properly recycled. Find recycling opportunities for consumer electronics: www.pca.state.mn.us/ewaste.
You can also contact RAM for a free ink-jet, cell, PDA, or laptop recycling kit.

Mattresses: There are several options for recycling a mattress; many stores will recycle old mattresses for you when you purchase a new one. In greater Minnesota some counties accept mattresses to be recycled at recycling drop off sites, please check with your county recycling coordinator for mattress recycling availability in your county.

Plastic containers #3-6: examples of plastic containers 3-6 include items such as yogurt containers, plastic “to go” containers from restaurants, squeezable bottles, margarine tubs, ice cream tubs, plastic table ware, etc. The number on the material with the recycling symbol around it delineates what types of plastic it is. Please check with your county recycling coordinator to see if your community recycles plastics #3- #6.

Plastic garden pots: Plastic garden containers can now be returned to specific garden centers throughout Minnesota. Go to Garden Minnesota.com for a complete list of dates and locations.

Paint: First off know how much paint you will need for your project, use this paint calculator
to find out how much you will need for your project. Second, any leftover paint can be taken to your county’s household hazardous waste collection site. Go to county HHW programs for a listing of Household Hazardous Waste Facility locations in Minnesota.

Scrap Metal: There are many scrap metal yards through the Twin Cities metro area as well as greater Minnesota that accept scrap metal for recycling and will pay money for items dropped off. Refer to your local telephone directory for a scrap metal yard near you.

Shoes: Shoes can be taken to your local Goodwill, Wipers Recycling in Maplewood, MN, a U’SAgain drop off bin, or to the REI in Bloomington, MN. If you thought they were too old or bad to give to Goodwill, it’s easy to recycle them!

Toner and ink-jet cartridges: Toner and Ink jet cartridges can also be recycled in areas of Minnesota. For MORE information about recycling ink jet and toner cartridges go to the MPCA recycling markets directory for a listing of locations. You can also contact RAM for a free ink-jet, cell, PDA, or laptop recycling kit.

Yard waste: In general, yard waste facilities accept leaves, grass clippings, and other plant materials. Most often, this does not include wood debris. Contact your county recycling coordinator for more information about yard waste recycling in your area.