Navigating Single-Sort Recycling in the Twin Cities: Your Guide to What Goes Where
Discover what's accepted in your single-sort recycling cart, how to handle oversized items, and the best practices for recycling in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area with Walter's Recycling & Refuse.
Understanding Single-Sort Recycling in the Twin Cities
Single-sort recycling has revolutionized waste management, making it easier than ever for residents in the Twin Cities metro area to contribute to a greener environment. Walter's Recycling & Refuse Inc., a trusted family-owned and operated business serving the community since 1988, is dedicated to simplifying this process. This guide aims to answer your most common questions about single-sort recycling, ensuring you can recycle efficiently and correctly, and understand the specific guidelines for our service area.
What Belongs in Your Single-Sort Cart?
The beauty of single-sort recycling is its convenience: you can place all your accepted recyclables into one cart. Generally, this includes a wide range of materials such as paper (newspapers, magazines, junk mail), cardboard, plastic bottles and containers (typically those marked with numbers 1-7), glass bottles and jars, and metal cans. To ensure proper processing, remember the golden rule: all items should be clean, dry, and placed loosely in the cart, not bagged.
Handling Oversized Cardboard Boxes
Many residents wonder what to do with large cardboard boxes from moving or new appliances that don't fit inside their recycling cart. Walter's Recycling & Refuse makes this simple. You can flatten these cardboard boxes and tie them into bundles. For collection, ensure these bundles are no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet by 1 foot tall. Simply place them next to your recycling cart on your scheduled collection day, and there is no extra charge for this additional recycling.
The Truth About Plastic Bags and Films
A common misconception is that plastic bags and films can be included in single-sort recycling. Unfortunately, items like grocery bags, produce bags, and plastic wrap are major contaminants in the single-sort system. They can tangle and jam sorting machinery, causing significant operational delays and potential damage. For these items, it's best to reuse them or take them to designated drop-off locations, often found at local grocery stores, rather than placing them in your curbside recycling cart.
Making the Most of Unlimited Curbside Recycling
Walter's Recycling & Refuse is proud to offer unlimited recycling service to our residential customers. This means you don't have to worry if you have more recyclables than your cart can hold. As long as extra items, such as properly bundled cardboard, are prepared according to guidelines and placed next to your cart, they will be collected. This commitment ensures that all your eligible recyclables can be processed without hassle, promoting maximum participation in recycling efforts.
Beyond the Cart: Special Item Recycling Services
While your single-sort cart handles many common recyclables, some items require special handling due to Minnesota State Law. For instance, appliances and electronics containing circuit boards or cathode ray tubes (CRTs) must be recycled separately. Walter's provides convenient pick-up services for these specific items, including old refrigerators, televisions, computers, and DVD players. If you have such items, please contact our customer service team to arrange for a special collection.
Your Local Partner for Responsible Waste Management
As a family-owned and operated business, Walter's Recycling & Refuse is deeply committed to serving the Twin Cities community with reliable and understandable recycling solutions. Our customers frequently commend our team for their helpfulness and clear communication. One customer shared their appreciation for the "incredibly helpful over the phone—friendly, patient, and really knowledgeable" service they received, highlighting how easy the process was to understand. For any questions about what you can recycle, how to prepare specific items, or to learn more about our services, our dedicated customer service team is always ready to assist you.
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Walters Recycling & Refuse - Corporate Office
Walter’s Recycling & Refuse Inc. is a leading provider of waste collection and recycling services to both the public and private sectors in the twin cities metropolitan area. We are a family-owned and operated business started in 1988 with a fleet of over 60 diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) powered trucks and over 70,000 customers.