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 Motor oil bottle

Motor oil bottle

Disposal method: Garbage

What to do:

Bag and put in your garbage cart.

More information:

A motor oil bottle is not recyclable because it held a hazardous substance.

Icon for Oil filter

Oil filter

Disposal method: Hazardous waste

What to do:
Not accepted for pickup Solid Waste & Recycling or drop off at the South Transfer Station.
Bring to a Hennepin County Drop-off facility
More information:

Items marked Caution, Caustic, Corrosive, Danger, Flammable, Poison, Volatile, or Warning are considered hazardous waste.

Fun fact:
It is illegal to put auto fluids in the garbage, on the land, in water, down a sewer, or in the storm drain. Some automotive service stations accept automotive fluids and oil filters. Fees may apply.
Icon for 3-D printer plastic

3-D printer plastic

Disposal method: Garbage

What to do:

Bag and put in your garbage cart.

More information:

3-D printer plastic is often made of PLA plastic (#7). Compost facilities only accept food-service packaging. Any plastic food-service item must be BPI certified compostable. 3-D printing plastic is not a food-service item, nor is it BPI certified.

See Accepted organics

Recycling facilities only accept plastic bottles and containers #1 (PET), #2 (HDPE), and #5 (PP) from food, beverages, bathroom and laundry products. Other plastic items that are too big or too small are not able to be sorted correctly. They also do not take plastics that are black in color.
See Accepted recycling
Icon for Furniture - wood

Furniture - wood

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

What to do:
Donate if usable. If not usable, we'll pick this up on your garbage day. Large items must be less than 6 feet in length. Limit of 2 large items per week. Put large items next to your carts by 6 a.m. on your garbage day. Please label the item "for Solid Waste".
Learn more about Large item collection
More information:
Item will be picked up by the garbage truck. You may also bring this item to the South Transfer Station with a voucher.
Learn more about our Voucher program
Fun fact:
Bridging is a local non-profit who will take usable furniture and household goods. They give it to local families in need.
Visit Bridging's website
Icon for Plastic - black in color

Plastic - black in color

Disposal method: Garbage

What to do:

Bag and put in your garbage cart.

More information:

Any plastic that is black in color should go in the garbage. There are several reasons black plastics are not recyclable

  • Recycling facilities are not able to sort these out.
  • Any type (#) of plastic can be black in color making it not feasible to sort by color alone.
  • Facilities use optical sorters (lasers) to sort plastics by type (#). The color black absorbs the laser light so the system is not able to read what type of plastic (#) it is.
  • No one wants to buy black plastics to make into a new product.

The weak markets and sorting challenges make it not worth the effort to try to sort them out.

Fun fact:
Recycling facilities only accept plastic bottles and containers #1 (PET), #2 (HDPE), and #5 (PP) from food, beverages, bathroom and laundry products.
Other plastic items that are too big or too small are not able to be sorted correctly. Black plastic bottle caps are an exception. They will be recycled if they're screwed back on the original plastic container.

See Accepted recycling

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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

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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.