Disposal guide

This searchable guide tells you how to properly dispose of many common and uncommon household items.

Featured search items

Brush and prunings

Mattress and box spring

Paper plates and take out containers – plastic lined

Computer monitor or tower

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Icon for Aerosol can - non hazardous

Aerosol can - non hazardous

Disposal method: Hazardous waste, Recycle

What to do:

Bring full or partly full aerosol cans to a Hennepin County Drop-off facility. 

Put empty spray cans from non-hazardous products in your recycling cart. This includes items like
  • spray cheese
  • whipped cream
  • shaving cream
  • sun screen
  • air fresheners
More information:
Hazardous spray cans include
  • butane
  • penetrants
  • hair spray
  • bug spray
  • spray paint
Items marked Caution, Caustic, Corrosive, Danger, Flammable, Poison, Volatile, or Warning are considered hazardous waste.
Bag and put empty spray cans from hazardous products in the garbage.  
Fun fact:

Full or partially full spray cans are a safety hazard for collection crews.

Icon for Soda / pop boxes

Soda / pop boxes

Disposal method: Recycle

What to do:

Flatten and put in your recycling cart.

More information:
Boxes that go in your refrigerator are recyclable. Boxes that go in your freezer belong in the garbage. Until all frozen food boxes can be recycled, it's impossible to separate out those that can be recycled from those that cannot.
See Accepted recycling
Fun fact:

Each time paper is recycled the fibers break and get shorter. Paper can be recycled up to 7 times before the fibers are to small to make new paper.

Icon for Cartons - milk carton, juice box, broth, soup

Cartons - milk carton, juice box, broth, soup

Disposal method: Recycle, Large recyclable item pick up, Drop-off

What to do:

Rinse and put in your recycling cart. Do not flatten. 

More information:
Cartons are sorted as a 'container' at the recycling facility, not as paper. Keeping cartons three-dimensional (3-D) helps them get sorted properly at the recycling facility. They are made of high-grade paper and need to be processed (pulped) longer than other paper items to remove the plastic layers.
See Accepted recycling
Cartons are not compostable. 
Fun fact:

Rinsing containers helps keep your carts clean and free of critters. A simple rinse is enough. You do not need to wash the container with soap or water. As long as it feels like an empty container, it will get recycled.

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If you cannot find an item

If you cannot find your item in this list, you can request that we add it to the disposal guide.               Make a request

Resources

Reduce waste, reuse and repair

Get resources to reduce waste, repair, donate usable items and recycle and compost right.

Choose to Reuse

Help keep usable items out of the trash by selling, donating or repairing them.

Drop-off facilities

Hennepin County has two drop-off facilities where you can bring recycling, electronics and appliances.

Green Disposal Guide

Hennepin County's guide to recycling, reusing or disposing of items.

Contact us

Solid Waste & Recycling

Public Works

Facebook

Email Solid Waste & Recycling

Phone

612-673-2917

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.