Can I collect my recyclables in plastic bags?

No, plastic bags may not be placed in your recycling cart for any reason including for bagging recyclables. Plastic bags cause major problems at sorting facilities because they can easily be tangled in machinery, and it is expensive and dangerous to untangle them. Plastic bags are only accepted for recycling at retail drop-off locations which can be located online at plasticfilmrecycling.org. If you would like to use a bag for your recyclables, consider using an open paper bag which is recyclable, or just dump the recyclables in your curbside bin and reuse the plastic bag. 

Can I recycle my clothing and shoes?

Clothing, shoes, and other textiles such as handbags and belts can be donated to second hand stores if they are in good condition. To find a clothing donation site, visit our donation guide here. If they are not in good condition, or if you prefer to use a drop-off bin to donate your items, you may drop them off at a USAgain, Salvation Army, or WearEver drop bin. These companies will re-sell textiles in good condition and recycle those that are not.  

Are string lights recyclable?

String lights are recyclable but NOT in your curbside bin. You may take string lights to The Recycling Zone to be properly disposed of year round. In addition, a program called Recycle Your Holidays™ sets up free drop bins around the holidays to make string lights recycling more convenient. 

I'm moving how can I set up service or end my service?

Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, and Lakeville have an open collection for their trash and recycling services. This means that the city licenses several companies to collect garbage and recycling but the city itself does not pick up any trash and recycling. To set up service, residents may choose from any of their cities' licensed haulers by visiting our Setting Up Service Guide. Similarly, to end service, contact your hauler to cancel ongoing pickups and billing. 

Where can I bring bulk cardboard?

Cardboard that cannot fit into your curbside recycling can be brought to The Recycling Zone in Eagan (3365 Dodd Road) year-round for free. The Recycling Zone is open the following hours:

Wednesday: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Thursday: Noon- 8 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Recycling Zone will accept all regular household recyclables such as plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and glass for free, and is also a plastic bag drop off location.

Can businesses get help setting up or improving recycling?

Dakota County offers technical assistance and grants of up to $10,000 to business looking to reduce waste, start or improve recycling, and/or start organics recycling. No funding match is required. To find out if your business is eligible, visit the Dakota County Website and complete a short questionnaire. Businesses are also able to order free bin labels online anytime through this order form.

My recycling cart is constantly full, how do I get a bigger cart?

If you are continuing to run out of room in your recycling bin, you may want to consider upgrading your recycling bin size to a larger cart. Many haulers automatically provide you with a 65 gallon recycling cart picked up every other week but often, a larger size is available. Find out how to upgrade by visiting our Get More Room to Recycling Guide here. 

How do I get bulky items picked up from my curbside?

Depending on the condition of the item, some businesses offer bulky item pick-up for an additional fee. Online search engines for selling or donating include but are not limited to:

www.donationtown.org
www.HeroSearch.org 
www.freecycle.org

In Dakota County for items such as furniture and mattresses you can try Certified Recycling in Burnsville (952-894-1448), and Bridging in Bloomington (952-888-1105). For appliances and scrap metal, you may try JR's Advanced Recyclers in Inver Grove Heights (651-454-9215), Certified Recycling in Burnsville (952-894-1448), A-1 Recycling (612-521-1370), or Plaza TV and Appliance (651-457-1196). Some garbage haulers will also offer curbside pick-up of bulky items for an extra fee to be added to your monthly bill.   

Where can I bring paints, aerosols, and other household hazardous wastes?

All household hazardous waste materials such as paints, aerosols, batteries, light bulbs, cleaners and more can go to The Recycling Zone in Eagan (3365 Dodd Road) to be properly disposed of for free. The Recycling Zone is the Dakota County facility that is open year round as a resource for metro-county residents. Dakota County residents may visit The Recycling Zone or any metro-county facility during open hours year round. 

The Recycling Zone is open the following hours:

Wednesday: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Thursday: Noon- 8 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

For more information including a full list of accepted materials, visit the Dakota County webpage here.