Earth Action Challenge Day 1
Here’s where we are at in the challenge:
If you missed the welcome message, read it here.
The best thing you can do to support recycling is to recycle the right stuff. Today, refresh your knowledge of what can be recycled, and make sure to keep things that aren’t accepted out.
Here's the list of materials accepted in recycling programs throughout Hennepin County. You can also download the recycling guide (PDF).
Recycle smart: keep these items out of your recycling cart
Items that are important to leave out of your recycling cart include:
- Plastic bags
- Large plastic items
- Random metal items
- Single-use plastic utensils and straws
- Paper plates, cups, and takeout containers
- Propane tanks
- Cords and string lights
- Electronics and batteries
- Needles and sharps
These items cause problems at recycling facilities and lower the quality of our recycling. Learn more about why these items are a problem and what to do with them instead.
The current state of recycling
Recycling has been in the news a lot lately due to shifts in markets and international policy changes. This has left many Minnesotans wondering what is happening to the recycling placed in their bins, and what they can do now to support recycling.
First of all, know that your recyclables are getting recycled! Unlike on the coasts where they rely heavily on international markets, recyclers in Minnesota send most of the material they collect to local and regional markets to be processed into new materials.
Overall, Minnesotans are good recyclers. We have significantly lower contamination rates, or the amount of stuff placed in the recycling that can’t actually be recycled, than elsewhere in the country. And Minnesota state law prohibits materials separated and collected for recycling from being trashed.
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Still confused about something? Head over to Facebook or Twitter or email environment@hennepin.us to get your questions answered.
Coming up tomorrow
Tomorrow we’re focusing on ways to green up spring cleaning. We’ll mix up a batch of homemade cleaners from simple ingredients you may already have at home, share how to identify the least hazardous products, and connect you with disposal options for hazardous items.
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