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Earth Day and Arbor Day are both coming up in April, and there are many events planned locally to celebrate our community and environment.
 Contribute to the Mighty Mississippi Cleanup Challenge
The Mississippi River, and all of the lakes, rivers, and streams in Hennepin County, make this a great place to live. We have been challenged by our downstream neighbor, Goodhue County, to participate in the Mighty Mississippi Cleanup Challenge. Help us showcase the commitment to keeping the environment healthy by picking up litter in celebration of Earth Day.
Learn and connect at community events
Beyond participating in a cleanup, you can celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day by helping plant trees, joining a bike ride, planting for pollinators, learning about local sustainability resources, participating in a clothing swap, going on a nature hike, and much more! Explore all the opportunities on our Earth Day and Arbor Day events map.
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Shredded paper should never go in your recycling cart. Shredding makes the paper hard to recycle because the paper is so small it cannot be processed with the machinery at recycling sorting facilities.
The solution? Decrease the amount of paper you need to shred.
Whole sheets of paper can be easily recycled. Below are some ways to decrease the amount of paper you have that contains sensitive information you may wish to shred:
- Choose for paperless billing when it is offered. Get tips here: Hold the Mail (PDF)
- Cut out portions of paper with sensitive information on it, shred that, and recycle the rest of the paper
- Cover your name, address, phone number, and other sensitive information with a black marker and recycle the sheet whole
- Note: Information such as your name and address may already be accessible in other places like White Pages or public records, and doesn’t necessarily need to be shredded
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Upcoming paper shredding events
After taking steps to reduce the amount of shredded paper you produce, there may still be some paper you want to shred for security reasons. Bring them to a community shredding event! These professional shredding services generate enough material that they can market it in bulk to be recycled.
Shred Right offers shredding events, often in partnership with community organizations, throughout the county. There are more than 10 events planned in April and May 2025.
For a complete list of upcoming mobile paper shredding events near you, visit Shred Right events. Check each event’s website for guidelines and fees.
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April 22 to April 29: Great River Greening & Kowalski’s Uptown Market Shred Event
2440 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55405
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April 22 to April 29: Great River Greening & Kowalski’s Lyndale Market Shred Event
5327 Lyndale Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419
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April 22 to April 29: Great River Greening & Kowalski’s Parkview Market Shred Event
5615 Chicago Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
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April 22 to April 29: Great River Greening & Kowalski’s Excelsior Market Shred Event
440 Water Street, Excelsior, MN 55331
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Tuesday, April 22, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Great River Greening & Kowalski’s Edina Market Shred Event
324 Southdale Center, Edina, MN 55435
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Thursday, April 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Great River Greening & Kowalski’s Eden Prairie Market Shred Event
16500 W 78th St, Eden Prairie, MN 55346
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Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. to noon. Lake Minnetonka Figure Skating Club Shred Event
3401 Williston Road, Minnetonka, MN 55345
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Saturday, April 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Great River Greening & Kowalski’s Shoreview Market Shred Event
441 Highway 96 West, Shoreview, MN 55126
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Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m. to noon. Plymouth Shred Event
9605 Schmidt Lake Road, Plymouth, MN 55442
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Saturday, May 17, 10 a.m. to noon. Minnetonka United Methodist Church Shred Event
17611 Lake Street Extension, Minnetonka, MN 55345
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 Hennepin County is holding four hazardous waste collection events in 2025 to give residents more convenient, local disposal options for unwanted garden and household hazardous wastes.
Events will take place Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following dates:
- May 2 and 3 at the City of Minneapolis Equipment Storage building
- June 27 and 28 at St. Louis Park Middle School
- August 8 and 9 at South High School in Minneapolis
- September 19 and 20 at the Hennepin County Public Works Orono Shop
Before you go, check the website for safety guidelines and the list of acceptable materials.
New Life Properties adds recycling service to eight properties in Minneapolis
New Life Properties received a multifamily recycling grant to add recycling service to eight of their 15 properties in Minneapolis. The properties used their $4,000 grant to help cover the start-up hauling costs for recycling service and provided a stipend for their lead maintenance staff to spearhead resident education efforts.
In addition to the grant, the property also labeled existing recycling bins, added posters in common areas, and distributed reusable recycling tote bags and recycling guides in English, Spanish, and Somali directly to residents’ doors.
Eight properties have now started recycling service and provided resident recycling trainings, ensuring their tenants have the tools and knowledge to recycle effectively. With these improvements, the properties will recycle an additional 65,000 pounds of recycling annually - equivalent to the weight of 16 cars!
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Assistance and resources available to multifamily properties
Hennepin County offers technical assistance to properties to improve recycling. Recycling staff help assess best options, review potential costs and savings, and determine the steps to improve recycling programs. In addition to on-site or online assistance, a variety of resources are available to property managers and residents, including reusable recycling tote bags, aluminum signs, labels, and educational resources.
Multifamily recycling grants
Hennepin County offers grants for multifamily properties to start or improve recycling or organics recycling, reduce contamination, prevent waste, and educate their residents on recycling and waste prevention. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until mid-November 2025, or until the annual program budget is exhausted.
Areas of focus can include purchasing bins and compostable bags, paying for hauling costs, constructing waste enclosures or chutes, managing or preventing the waste of bulky items, and educating residents. Applicants may apply for up to $3,000 worth of bins and compostable bags and up to $20,000 for all other categories combined.
Review the grant guidelines (PDF) and the grant flyer (PDF) to learn more. Visit the apartment recycling web page to begin the application process.
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Multifamily recycling resources
Free resources are available to Hennepin County residents to improve recycling in apartments, condos, and townhome associations. See what's available and order free resources.
Our committed staff is ready to help you start or improve recycling at your apartment or condo. We can help you assess your best options, review potential costs and savings, and determine the steps forward to improve your programs. Free assistance can be provided online or in-person. Contact the apartment recycling program coordinator to request assistance by emailing apartmentrecycling@hennepin.us.
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