Residential Curbside Recycling

State, County and local ordinance requires that certain recyclable materials be separated from waste prior to disposal, and requires that all municipalities provide convenient opportunity for their residents to recycle. In compliance with Hennepin County Ordinance 13, the City of Brooklyn Park implemented a recycling collection program that provides residents every other week, same day as garbage, collection of recyclable materials, using one contracted collection company.

General Recycling Tips   Helpful Hints For Sorting   What NOT to Recycle   Contact Information

Recycling Service Fee

Each residential household is charged a monthly utility fee to support the Recycling/Waste Management Program. The program includes the every other week curbside collection of recyclables, the yard waste drop-off site, special materials drop-off days, and all public information and education activities. The fee is set by council or board action and may be re-evaluated and adjusted as costs and revenues require.

Curbside Collection Cart

The program provides every household with a recycling cart. A damaged or lost cart will be replaced at no charge. Carts are available in three sizes, 35, 64, and 96 gallon capacity. To request an additional cart or have a cart replaced, please call 763-493-8006.

Collection Hours

Place your green cart at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day. Route schedules may vary from week to week due to weather, illness, mechanical problems, road maintenance, etc. Before reporting a missed stop, ask yourself if your cart was out on time. Contract hours are 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. or until the route is completed.

Holidays

There is no collection provided on the following holidays - Christmas, New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving Day. If your regular collection day happens to fall on or following a holiday, your service will be delayed by one day.

Missed Collection or Collection Complaint

Before calling 763-493-8006 to report your stop as "missed", ask yourself the following questions:

1. Did I have my container out by 6:30 a.m.?
2. Were the recyclables all "acceptable" and prepared according to program guidelines?
3. Was an education TAG left by the driver that identifies a problem with my recycling?

If you still feel that your collection stop was missed, please call 763-493-8007 (program administration) to report the miss.

If you have experienced any kind of problem with the recycling collection program, please call program administration at 763-493-8006. We will respond as quickly as possible.

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General Recycling Tips

• Have your container at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day.
• Try to secure your container and its contents when weather is severe. Rain and snow does not damage recycling but strong winds may cause the material and cart to blow around.
• More recycling tips and myths revealed

• Do not use plastic bags to hold recyclables.
• Do not recycle plastic buckets, pails, tubs, wrap/film, wide mouth plastic jars, lids or pumps.
• Do not recycle bottles that have contained motor oil, antifreeze, pesticide, or any other bottles that have contained hazardous liquids. Throw them in the garbage.

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Helpful Hints for Sorting

Containers - Includes GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS, METAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE CANS, PLASTIC BOTTLES (#1 and #2 only). Rinse, drain and throw away caps, lids and tops. Place all containers, mixed together, directly in your recycling cart.

Mixed Paper - Includes NEWSPAPERS, CATALOGS, MAGAZINES, JUNK MAIL, TELEPHONE BOOKS, ENVELOPES, BOOKS, CARDBOARD, "FOUR Cs" PAPER PACKAGING (cereal, chip, cake, cracker boxes with liner removed and box flattened), OFFICE and SCHOOL PAPERS, PAPER GROCERY BAGS, MILK CARTONS, JUICE BOXES, and POP/BEER CARRIERS. Place all mixed paper together in your recycling cart.

Corrugated cardboard - Boxes that do not fit in your cart may be recycled curbside if prepared according to the following rules: Flattened pieces must not exceed 3' x 3'. Flattened corrugated must be secured in bundles no thicker than 6 inches, using either tape, twine, or string. Bundles or bags should be placed alongside the curbside cart.

Scrap Metal - Must be no larger than 30 inches in any direction and less than 30 pounds per item.  Remove any non-metal parts and no fluids are allowed.  Examples include a door knob, filing cabinet

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What NOT to Recycle

• Plastic toys, parts, silverware or tableware, flower pots or garden use plastic, plastic bags, wrap, deli or food service trays/containers, microwaveable plastic, plastic storage/refrigerator containers, cosmetic or medicine bottles, buckets or pails, wide mouth tubs (yogurt, margarine, whips), any bottle or container that has contained hazardous waste or liquids i.e. motor oil bottles, pesticides, solvents, flammables.
• Pizza delivery boxes, gift wrap or greeting cards, any foiled paper, waxed or plastic coated (freezer packaging) etc.
• Glass dishware, beverage glassware, ceramic or pottery, window or mirror glass, windshields, containers from hazardous liquids. Throw them in the garbage.

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