Why Recycle
Not recycling costs money. In 2021, a million tons of recyclable material was thrown away, but could have been recycled for an additional estimated value of $142.1 million. Instead, it cost Minnesotans millions of dollars to put it in landfills. Recycling saves energy. It takes 90% less energy to make a can from recycled aluminum compared to virgin material. Recycled glass? About 50% less energy. Recycled paper? About 75% less energy, plus 74% less air pollution and 35% less water pollution. Lower energy use means reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
What to Recycle?
- Plastic Bottles & Jugs
- Plastic Cups & Containers
- Boxes (flattened)
- Cartons
- Paper
- Metal
- Glass
What You Can Do to Optimize Sorting at the Recycling Facility
- Do Not Bag
- Empty, Rinse and Leave Lids on
- Flatten Boxes
- Leave Caps on your Plastic Bottles
- Batteries
For more information and specifics on these tips, please review the flyer(PDF).