 When you clean up from Halloween, don’t let your pumpkins go to waste! Compost pumpkins by putting them in your organics recycling cart or bringing them to an organics recycling drop-off. Pumpkins are great fuel for compost, which is used to make soil and landscapes healthy. Before composting, remove all candles, candle wax, paint, and other decorations.
You can also check to see if your city is offering any special drop-off events. Here are a few upcoming events:
Edina Pumpkin Smash and Bash
Saturday, November 1 from 10 a.m. to noon at Countryside Park, 6240 Tracy Avenue, Edina
This event is open to everyone!
Pumpkin recycling at Brooklyn Park Central Park
November 1 through 10 at Central Park, 8440 Regent Avenue North, Brooklyn Park
This drop-off is only open to Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, and New Hope residents.
St. Louis Park Pitch-a-Pumpkin
November 1 through 6 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Rec Center, 3700 Monterey Drive, St. Louis Park
This pumpkin disposal option is only open to St. Louis Park residents. Please note that pumpkins are not allowed in the multifamily organics drop-site carts because they will overfill the carts. Please bring them to the Pitch-a-Pumpkin dumpster instead.
Plymouth Pumpkin Drop
November 1 through 16 at the Plymouth Maintenance Facility, 14900 23rd Avenue, Plymouth
The pumpkin drop is only open to Plymouth residents.
Richfield Pumpkin Smash
Saturday, November 8 from 10 a.m. to noon at Veterans Park, 6335 Portland Avenue, Richfield
This event is only open to Richfield residents.
Shorewood Pumpkin Drop
Saturday, November 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at South Shore Park, 5355 St. Alban's Bay Road, Shorewood
This event is only open to Shorewood residents.
 Do you have toys your kids have outgrown or lawn furniture that you can’t use anymore? Consider donating them to be reused! Large plastic items can be difficult to sort at recycling facilities, and there aren’t good markets for recycling them. Large plastic items should be kept out of your recycling. Purchase high-quality items, use them for as long as possible, and look for donation opportunities if they're still in good shape when you're ready to get rid of them.
Here are a few locations that accept larger plastic items such as toys and household items:
Find more opportunities to donate your bulky items in the donation opportunities brochure (PDF).
Creatures like dragons, unicorns, and merpeople are used to being called myths. But recycling? That’s for real.
Your recyclables go on an epic journey after they leave your home. Hennepin County is teaming up with six other metro counties to spread the word about this quest to become something new.
Milk jugs and detergent bottles are recycled in Paynesville, Minnesota and get turned into decking and landscaping products. Glass bottles become new food and beverage bottles and jars in Shakopee.
Your paper and cardboard? They get made into new boxes and packaging in Becker, Minnesota! And the metal cans you recycle go on a grand adventure – some become new cans while others become parts for cars and appliances.
ReNew at Neill Lake received a grant to keep furniture and appliances out of the landfill
Recycling staff worked with Caleb S., the property manager at ReNew at Neill Lake, a 116-unit apartment complex in Eden Prairie, to apply for a grant to keep bulky items like furniture and appliances out of the landfill at their building.
"Many residents will leave behind furniture during move-outs or throughout their tenancy," said Caleb. Before working with the county, ReNew arranged for disposal of dozens of items a month, paying out of pocket to have them hauled to a landfill. After learning that having items picked up for recycling could save them money and that they were eligible for grant funding through Hennepin County, it was a no-brainer for ReNew to apply.
In total, ReNew received over $5,000 in grant funding to cover the first 6 months of hauling costs, as they made the switch from their previous junk hauler to three local recycling companies. They also launched an education campaign to inform residents about best recycling practices, including options for donating good-quality furniture. Over 18 months, they recycled 419 items totaling over 19,000 pounds!
In addition to diverting waste, they also saved money. "Using our previous junk hauler, we would have spent about 25% more," said Caleb. "We also appreciate having the peace of mind that items are getting recycled."
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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 are closing soon!
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 for 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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