What to know

Collection rules

Your carts will say "property of the City of Minneapolis" of them if you have City pickup service. As part of your City garbage collection, crews will take up to two large items each week. Some items can only be set out on your recycling week. See below for more information.

• Large items must be out by 6 a.m. on your pickup day. 
• Attach a note to each item that says "For Solid Waste." If items are not marked, we may not collect them.

You do not have City collection service if you have dumpsters or if you have carts from a private hauler. Use Hennepin County's Green Disposal Guide to learn how to properly dispose of items if you do not have City pickup service.

Hennepin County Green Disposal Guide

Missed pickup

• Please call our office the following business day to report a miss.
• You must report a missed pickup within two business days or we may not be able to send the crew back.
• Missed pickups reported by email may not be received in time to send the crew back before your next pickup day.
• If your large item was not out when the crew was at your house, we will not send them back. 

Items for your garbage day

Items we'll take

Non-metal items 

• Wood tables
• Plastic items
• Wood or upholstered furniture
• Couch (not a hide-a-bed or recliner)
  • Must be less than six feet in length
  • Hide-a-beds and recliners are accepted on recycling week only. 
• Household items

Do not disassemble furniture. If broken down, the garbage crew may tag your large item as building materials. We do not pick up building materials.

Carpet

• Rolls must be under five feet long, less than 12 inches in diameter, and must weigh less than 40 pounds.
• Roll and tie the carpet securely with rope, twine or tape. Do not use wire.

Non-recyclable large items are put directly into the garbage truck.

Items for your recycling day

If large items have recyclable parts, set them out on your recycling day.

1. Crews will note these items on your recycling day and put a “We’ll be back” sticker on them.
2. We'll come back the next business day to pick them up. Leave the item(s) at your collection point, with the sign and sticker on until picked up.
3. Once back at our facility, these items will be properly recycled.

Items we'll take

Major appliances

• Air conditioners
• Freezers and refrigerators (you must remove the doors)
• Microwaves
• Ovens
• Dishwashers
• Dryers
• Washing machines

Electronics 

• TVs
• Computers
• Computer monitors
• Accessories (speakers, keyboard, mice)

Hide-a-bed couches and recliners

Mattresses 

• Mattresses
• Box springs

To make sure your mattress is collected for recycling

• Make sure it stays as dry as possible. Protect your mattress from rain or snow.
• Put mattresses out by 6 a.m. the morning of your recycling pickup.
• If you would like to set your mattress out on 6 a.m. the day it will be collected, you must call us on or before your regularly scheduled recycling pickup day. 
• Waterlogged or frozen mattresses are too heavy and cannot be collected for recycling.

Metal items

• Aluminum doors
• Basketball hoops (remove all concrete)
• Chairs
• Filing cabinets
• Shelves
• Swing sets
• Pipes
• Poles (must be under 6 feet and free of concrete)
• Small metal items such as pots, pans, hangers and nails (place in a box and set full boxes next to your cart)
  • Box of small metal items can not weigh more than 40 pounds.

Drop-off locations

Get rid of items right away by bringing them to a drop-off location. You can use up to six cleanup vouchers at the South Transfer Station each year. Each voucher is valid for up to two large recyclable items.

South Transfer Station

Hennepin County Green Disposal Guide