Accepted recycling
Understand what is and is not recyclable in your blue One-Sort recycling cart.
Know where to throw
Use our disposal guide to find out how to properly dispose of an item.
How to prepare your recycling
- Put your recycling in your cart loose.
- Do not bag your recycling. If you collect recycling in plastic or paper bags in your home, please dump recycling out of the bag into your cart.
- Paper bags can go in your recycling cart.
- Plastic bags should go in the garbage or brought to a plastic bag drop-off location.
- Keep containers in their 3-D (3 dimensional) shape.
- Flatten all boxes.
- Never put plastic bags or plastic films in your recycling cart.
Paper
Recyclable
- Mail, office and school papers
- Magazines and catalogs
- Newspapers and inserts
- Phone books
- Books (soft or hardcover)
- Clean paper bags (flatten)
Recyclable boxes (must be flattened)
- Cardboard (no more than 3 feet by 3 feet in size)*
- Cereal, cracker, shoe, electronics, and gift boxes
- Refrigerated food and beverage boxes
- Toothpaste, medication, and other toiletry boxes
*Cardboard that does not fit in your recycling cart should be
- Bundled with string or twine (no tape)
- Flattened and put inside another cardboard box
Set cardboard bundles or boxes next to your recycling cart. Boxes and bundles must not be larger than 3 feet x 3 feet and weigh less than 40 pounds.
Not recyclable
- Shredded paper
- Napkins and paper towels
- Paper cups
- Paper plates
- Egg cartons
- Paper takeout boxes
- Ice cream tubs
- Thermal receipts
- Tissue paper
- Carbon paper
Plastic
Recyclable bottles and jugs #1, #2, #5 (caps on)
- Water, soda and juice bottles
- Milk and juice jugs
- Ketchup and salad dressing bottles
- Dishwashing liquid bottles and detergent jugs
- Shampoo, soap, and lotion bottles
Recyclable cups and containers #1, #2, #5
- Yogurt, pudding and fruit cups
- Clear disposable cups and bowls
- Margarine, cottage cheese and other containers
- Produce, deli and takeout containers
Not recyclable
- #3, #4, # 6 and #7 plastics
- Black plastics
- Plastic bags or film*
- Bubble wrap*
- Squeeze tubes (toothpaste, lotion, hair products, yogurt, etc.)
- Plastic foam (commonly referred to as Styrofoam)
- Any container that held hazardous waste
* Plastic bags and film can be brought to a drop-off location if they're clean and dry. Drop-off locations include:
- Most grocery stores or food co-ops
- Large retail stores
- Hennepin County Drop-off facilities
Glass
Recyclable
- Food and beverage bottles and jars
Not recyclable
- Drinking glasses
- Window glass
- Ceramics
- Mirrors
Metal
Recyclable
- Food and beverage cans
- Aluminum foil and trays
- Decorative tins and pie tins
Not recyclable
- Appliances
- Electronics
- Cords
- Pots and pans
- Silverware
- Pipes and poles
- Chairs
- Hangers
- Pressurized cylinders (propane, helium. CO2)
Cartons
Recyclable
- Milk cartons
- Juice boxes
- Soup, broth and wine cartons
Not recyclable
- Paper or plastic foam (Styrofoam) egg cartons
- Ice cream tubs or coffee cups
- Foil juice pouches
Cardboard cans
Recyclable
- Chip, nut and other snack cans
- Frozen juice and refrigerated dough cans
- Powdered juice mix cans
- Powdered cleaner cans
Not recyclable
- Automotive grease or wax containers
More items not accepted in recycling carts
- Bagged recycling
- Electronics and batteries
- Scrap metal – pots and pans, pipes, poles, toasters, chairs, scooters
- Tanglers – electrical cords, holiday lights, and hoses
- Durable goods – storage bins, toys, sports gear, furniture, building materials, brooms, shovels, picture frames, housewares or decor
- Textiles – clothes, shoes, linens, blankets, curtains
- Clothes hangers (metal, plastic or wood)
- Containers that held hazardous products
- Lightbulbs
- Paint cans
- Needles and syringes
Drop-off options may exist for some of these items.
Recycling guide
Print and post this guide to help you remember what’s recyclable.
Contact us
Phone
Address
Eastside Maintenance Facility
2635 University Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
Office hours
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Monday – Friday
This building is closed to the public.