Recycling in Minnesota
Where to recycle, donate or get rid of things in 16 cities and towns across Minnesota. Pick your city, or search for your item. We also pick up anywhere in the state.
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Minnesota rules
- Minnesota's waste-management law defines major appliances to include clothes washers and dryers. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.03 Definitions (opens in new tab)
- Minn. Stat. 115A.9565: since July 1, 2006, no one may put an electronic product containing a cathode-ray tube (CRT) in mixed municipal solid waste (the trash). Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9565 Cathode-ray tube prohibition (opens in new tab)
- CRT (tube) televisions may not go in the trash in Minnesota: the 2006 ban covers any electronic product containing a cathode-ray tube. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9565 Cathode-ray tube prohibition (opens in new tab)
More Minnesota rules (51)
- Minnesota law defines a cathode-ray tube (CRT) as a vacuum tube or picture tube used to turn an electronic signal into a visual image. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1310 Electronics: definitions (opens in new tab)
- CRT computer monitors fall under the same 2006 trash ban on electronic products containing a cathode-ray tube. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9565 Cathode-ray tube prohibition (opens in new tab)
- Under the Minnesota electronics law, a computer monitor is a CRT or flat-panel display mainly meant to show information from a computer or the Internet. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1310 Electronics: definitions (opens in new tab)
- Covered electronic devices under Minn. Stat. 115A.1310 to 115A.1330 are computers (including tablets and laptops), peripherals, fax machines, DVD players, VCRs and video display devices sold to households. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1310 Electronics: definitions (opens in new tab)
- A video display device is a television or computer monitor with a CRT or flat panel screen marketed for household use. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1310 Electronics: definitions (opens in new tab)
- Displays built into washers, dryers, refrigerators, microwave ovens, ovens, dishwashers, room air conditioners, dehumidifiers and air purifiers are not video display devices under the electronics law, and telephones are excluded too. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1310 Electronics: definitions (opens in new tab)
- Each year, video display device manufacturers must recycle, or arrange collection and recycling of, an amount of video display devices set by the MPCA, and pay transport and recycling costs for devices counted toward that obligation. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1318 Electronics: responsibilities (opens in new tab)
- The manufacturer cost responsibility excludes the costs of receiving and gathering devices from households before they are loaded for transport to a recycler, so collection is not paid for by manufacturers under the statute. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1318 Electronics: responsibilities (opens in new tab)
- Registered collectors of household electronics must state any end-of-life fees they will charge at the collection point, so residents may be charged when dropping off electronics. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1312 Electronics: registration program (opens in new tab)
- No one may operate as a collector of covered electronic devices from households without registering with the MPCA each year. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1312 Electronics: registration program (opens in new tab)
- Collection sites must be staffed and open to the public often enough to serve their area, and collectors may limit how many devices (or devices of a type) they take per customer per day or per delivery. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1318 Electronics: responsibilities (opens in new tab)
- Retailers selling new video display devices must tell households where and how they can recycle them; giving the MPCA toll-free number and website meets this. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1318 Electronics: responsibilities (opens in new tab)
- Manufacturer recycling obligations apply only to video display devices received from households. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1318 Electronics: responsibilities (opens in new tab)
- The PaintCare fee in Minnesota, added to the price of new paint by container size: $0.00 for a half pint or smaller, $0.49 for larger than a half pint to under 1 gallon, $0.99 for 1-2 gallons, $1.99 for larger than 2 up to 5 gallons. Source: PaintCare: Minnesota (opens in new tab)
- The PaintCare fee is not a tax or a deposit; it funds the whole paint stewardship program. Source: PaintCare: Minnesota (opens in new tab)
- Architectural paint may not be sold in Minnesota unless its producer takes part in an approved stewardship plan. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1415 Architectural paint product stewardship program (opens in new tab)
- The stewardship plan must explain how paint will be collected statewide without end-of-life fees, considering the existing household hazardous waste infrastructure when choosing sites. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.1415 Architectural paint product stewardship program (opens in new tab)
- PaintCare lists Minnesota among the states where it runs paint recycling programs on behalf of paint companies under paint stewardship laws. Source: PaintCare: Paint recycling and drop-off locations (state list) (opens in new tab)
- Since August 1, 1991, rechargeable batteries, rechargeable battery packs, products with a nonremovable rechargeable battery, and rechargeable-powered products with batteries still inside may not go in the trash. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9157 Rechargeable batteries and products (opens in new tab)
- Products with a nonremovable rechargeable battery, or powered by rechargeable batteries that have not been removed, are banned from the trash. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9157 Rechargeable batteries and products (opens in new tab)
- Rechargeable battery under Minn. Stat. 115A.9157 means a sealed nickel-cadmium battery, a sealed lead acid battery, or any other rechargeable battery (with limited exceptions). Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9157 Rechargeable batteries and products (opens in new tab)
- Manufacturers of rechargeable batteries or rechargeable-powered products are responsible for the costs of collecting and managing their waste batteries and products. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9157 Rechargeable batteries and products (opens in new tab)
- Since 1995, manufacturers or their representative organization must run permanent collection programs expected to collect 90 percent of waste rechargeable batteries generated in Minnesota. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9157 Rechargeable batteries and products (opens in new tab)
- The Battery Network describes Minnesota's law as a recycling law for rechargeable batteries (Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, lithium-ion and small sealed lead acid), with a disposal ban and an industry collection program required to sell them. Source: The Battery Network: State Recycling Laws (opens in new tab)
- Rechargeable batteries and products that do not meet the collection requirements cannot be sold in Minnesota. Source: The Battery Network: State Recycling Laws (opens in new tab)
- Mercuric oxide, silver oxide, nickel-cadmium and sealed lead-acid dry cell batteries bought or used by government agencies or industrial, communications or medical facilities may not go in the trash. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9155 Disposing of certain dry cell batteries (opens in new tab)
- A city, county or other political subdivision may run its own program to collect household batteries. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.961 Household batteries; collection, processing, and disposal (opens in new tab)
- Household batteries in Minnesota law are disposable or rechargeable dry cells (including alkaline, lithium, nickel-cadmium and carbon-zinc), excluding lead acid batteries. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.961 Household batteries; collection, processing, and disposal (opens in new tab)
- Since January 1, 1988, lead acid batteries may not be put in the trash or otherwise disposed of; violating this is a misdemeanor. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.915 Lead acid batteries; land disposal prohibited (opens in new tab)
- Buyers of a lead acid battery at retail must return a used one or pay a surcharge of at least $10, refunded if a used battery and receipt are brought back within 30 days. Source: Minnesota Statutes 325E.1151 Lead acid battery purchase and return (opens in new tab)
- Disposing of waste tires in the land has been prohibited in Minnesota since July 1, 1985, except for beneficial uses of tire-derived products designated by the commissioner. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.904 Waste tires: land disposal prohibited (opens in new tab)
- A waste tire is a tire that is no longer suitable for its original purpose because of wear, damage or defect. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.90 Waste tires: definitions (opens in new tab)
- A site storing, collecting or receiving more than 50 waste tires is a tire collector under Minnesota law (permits are required under 115A.902). Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.90 Waste tires: definitions (opens in new tab)
- Major appliances may not be put in the trash or disposed of on land or in a solid waste facility in Minnesota; they must be recycled or reused. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9561 Major appliances (opens in new tab)
- Minnesota bans major appliances from the trash and requires them to be recycled or reused. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9561 Major appliances (opens in new tab)
- Major appliances must be recycled or reused, and each county must make sure its households have the opportunity to recycle used major appliances. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9561 Major appliances (opens in new tab)
- Appliance recycling includes removing capacitors and ballasts that may contain PCBs, removing chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant gas, and recycling or reusing the metals, including mercury. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9561 Major appliances (opens in new tab)
- Recycling a major appliance includes recycling or reusing its metals, including mercury. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.9561 Major appliances (opens in new tab)
- No one may put mercury, or a mercury-containing device or product from which the mercury has not been removed, in solid waste or a wastewater system. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.932 Mercury prohibition (opens in new tab)
- Fluorescent and high-intensity discharge lamps must be recycled through a lamp recycling facility or a collection site such as a household hazardous waste facility, retailer take-back site or utility program site. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.932 Mercury prohibition (opens in new tab)
- Administrative penalties for a household that violates the mercury disposal ban may not exceed $700. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.932 Mercury prohibition (opens in new tab)
- Mercury-containing products that must be labeled so the mercury does not become part of solid waste include thermostats, thermometers, switches, appliances, relays, fluorescent and HID lamps, and lab chemicals. Source: Minnesota Statutes 116.92 Mercury emissions; reduction (opens in new tab)
- Makers of mercury thermostats, or thermostats that may replace them, are responsible for the costs of collecting and managing replaced mercury thermostats. Source: Minnesota Statutes 116.92 Mercury emissions; reduction (opens in new tab)
- Household hazardous waste is waste from household activity that has the characteristics of, or is listed as, hazardous waste, not waste from commercial activity in a home. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.96 Household hazardous waste; management (opens in new tab)
- The MPCA must run a statewide household hazardous waste program, including collection sites and information, education and technical assistance. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.96 Household hazardous waste; management (opens in new tab)
- Each county must have a household hazardous waste management plan (education, reduction, and separating and collecting HHW from trash) and had to implement it by June 30, 1992. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.96 Household hazardous waste; management (opens in new tab)
- HHW programs must be allowed to accept up to 100 pounds of waste a year from a business generating 220 pounds or less of hazardous waste a month. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.96 Household hazardous waste; management (opens in new tab)
- An HHW collection site is a permanent or temporary location with scheduled hours where people may bring household hazardous waste. Source: Minnesota Statutes 115A.96 Household hazardous waste; management (opens in new tab)
- The Mattress Recycling Council operates statewide mattress recycling programs only in California, Connecticut, Oregon and Rhode Island; Minnesota has no state mattress program. Source: Mattress Recycling Council (opens in new tab)
- MRC operates recycling programs only in states that have passed mattress recycling laws. Source: Mattress Recycling Council (opens in new tab)
- With no Minnesota mattress law, there is no MRC/Bye Bye Mattress program for mattresses or box springs in Minnesota. Source: Mattress Recycling Council (opens in new tab)