Residential Curbside Recycling

Recycling at home is easy once you know what goes in your recycling bin.  Check the list below for what to recycle and what to leave out. Follow these rules to ensure your recycling gets recycled:

  • Do not use plastic bags. Place recyclables loose in your recycling cart or in a paper bag.
  • Empty and dry bottles, jars and containers. They don't have to be perfect, just free of most residue.
  • Leave caps on containers.
  • Empty and flatten boxes.
  • Check the Recycling Guide if you are not sure about an item.

Put These in Your Recycling Cart

Paper

  • Newspaper and inserts
  • Magazines and catalogs
  • Mail and office papers

Cardboard

  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Paperboard (e.g., cracker boxes)

Cartons

  • Milk and juice cartons
  • Soup, broth, and wine cartons
  • Juice boxes

 Metal Cans

  • Aluminum, tin, and steel cans

Glass Bottles & Jars


Plastic Bottles, Containers & Jugs

  • Containers numbered 1, 2 or 5
  • Soda, juice and water bottles
  • Milk and juice jugs
  • Margarine, cottage cheese, cream cheese and other tubs and lids
  • Laundry detergent bottles and jugs
  • Clear berry and produce containers

Do Not to put these items in Your recycling Cart

Many items can be recycled but not in your household cart, such as plastic bags and batteries. Plastic bags wrap around the automated sorting machines causing damage and ultimately end up in the trash. Empty recycling into your cart without the bag. Take plastic bags to retailers such as grocery stores for recycling. Food shelves are also happy to accept clean plastic bags for bagging groceries for the food shelf recipients. Items that need special recycling:

    • Batteries
    • Black plastic
    • Ceramic dishware
    • Clothing and textiles
    • Food
    • Household hazardous waste/hazardous waste
    • Paper plates, cups, and napkins
    • Diapers
    • Pharmaceuticals and medicines/medical waste
    • Plastic bags and film 
    • Metal cylinders (e.g., propane tanks)
    • Scrap metal* (e.g., metal pots and pans)
    • Shredded paper
    • Styrofoam™
    • Tanglers (e.g., chains, extension cords, hoses, string lights)
    • Trash
    • Yard waste and Christmas trees
    • All items banned from being placed in the trash or recycling in state or local law – including:
      • Electronics
      • Major Appliances
      • Sharps (e.g., lancets, needles, syringes)
      • Tires

*Scrap metal is allowed in carts and dumpsters only if delivered to the Tennis Sanitation recycling facility.

For more information on recycling and disposing of items visit Dakota County's Recycling Guide.

Recycling at multifamily properties

Find resources to improve recycling at apartments, townhomes or other multifamily property through the Multifamily Recycling Program.