• Food or beverage container
• Foil ball larger than 3 inches in size
• Decorative metal tin smaller than a 3 gallon pail

All other random metal items have the potential to rip or jam the equipment at the facility or injure collection or sorting staff. Metals are sorted from other materials using magnets and reverse magnets. 

• Steel and tin are magnetic (ferrous metal)
  • They are pulled off the conveyor belt by a magnet. 
• Aluminum is not magnetic (non-ferrous metal).
  • Aluminum is sorted by a reverse magnet called an eddy current. When the conveyor belt goes over the eddy current, the aluminum repels itself away from it into a separate area. 

After sorting, metals are baled and the bales are shipped off to their respective recyclers. At the next facility they are cleaned and melted to be made into new metal items. 

Random Metal items

• Pots and pans
• Pipes and poles
• Wire shelving
• Hangers
• Fans and toasters
• Nails and screws

1. Search online to find a scrap metal recycler
2. Set them out for Large item collection (keep in mind you need to have a box full of small items to set them out for pick-up)
3. Bring to a Hennepin County Drop-off Facility
4. Bring to the South Transfer Station with a voucher

Electronics

• Set larger items like a TV or computer monitor out on your recycling day. The collection crew will add your address to a list. A separate truck will return the following business day to take them for recycling.
• If you have a lot of smaller electronic items, keep them in a box until it's full, then set the full box out for pick-up.

Household batteries

Tape both terminals of the battery and bring to a Hennepin County Drop-off facility.

Alkaline batteries

• Alkaline batteries are not hazardous and may be disposed of in your garbage at home. If you bring them to a drop-off location, they will be recycled.

Car batteries and other sealed lead-acid batteries

• These are not collected by City crews. You can also call the store where you bought the battery, they might take it back for recycling. If not, bring lead-acid batteries to a Hennepin County drop-off facility for recycling.

Items with batteries that you cannot remove (musical greeting card, electronic toothbrush or a electronic cigarette)

• Bring the whole item to a Hennepin County’s drop-off facility.