Recycling & disposal 411: holiday greeting cards

As the holiday season winds down, learn how to dispose of holiday greeting cards properly:

• Cards with foil, glitter, ribbons or velvet are not recyclable and should be placed in the trash.
• Cards that light up or play music do not belong in the trash because of the battery. Bring them to the household hazardous waste collection sites for free.
• Cards printed on photo paper are not recyclable and should be placed in the trash.
• Cards and envelopes made only of plain paper can be placed in your curbside recycling bin.

Visit Ramsey County’s A to Z Recycling & Disposal Guide to learn about proper disposal of other holiday-themed items, such as artificial and evergreen trees, string lights and wrapping paper.

Learn how composting works

Ever wonder what happens to the food scraps you drop off weekly at our collection sites? The material is sent to a compost facility in Rosemount where it is processed into finished compost to be used in gardens, landscaping and construction projects. Ramsey County created a new video to show you how the composting process works. Watch it here!

Radon test kits available
for only $2

January is National Radon Action Month. Two in five homes in Minnesota have potentially unhealthy radon levels. You can purchase a test kit at any time from Ramsey County for only $2. We offer one $2 test kit per Ramsey County resident, per address. Just complete the request form on the website and send it in with a check for $2. A test kit will be mailed to your home.

Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It can enter your home through the foundation and floor-wall joints. Winter is the best time to test for radon.

For more information, visit our website, call the Environmental Health office at 651-266-1199 or email HealthyHomes@ramseycounty.us.

Recycle all batteries

Did you know? Dead batteries can start fires in your home, in the trash or at the waste facility if not managed properly. With so many kinds of batteries, it can be confusing to know which batteries are potentially hazardous. Ramsey County makes it simple by accepting all batteries for safe recycling.

If you are storing dead batteries, follow these steps:

1. Begin by putting a small piece of clear packing tape over the positive and negative ends of each battery. Do not use masking or painter’s tape or wrap the battery in tape. Alkaline batteries do not require taping, but if you’re not sure what type of battery you have, please tape it anyway.
2. Place the taped batteries in a plastic tub with a loose-fitting or breathable lid and store in a cool, dry location until you are ready to recycle them.
3. Never store rechargeable batteries that have been damaged, punctured or are bulging with other batteries inside your home. They can be a fire hazard. Bag them separately in a clear plastic bag and place them in a bucket inside your garage or shed.

When you are ready to recycle your batteries, bring them to a Ramsey County Household Hazardous Waste facility. Before you leave, don’t forget to check your home and garage for any other household hazardous waste items you’d like to get rid of, such as paint, fluorescent light bulbs, used oil, and aerosol cans.  

Visit our website to find Household Hazardous Waste collection site hours and locations.

Clean your home safely

When using household cleaners, read product labels carefully and choose a product that is the best fit for your needs. Products are formulated for specific uses. For example, toilet bowl cleaners are designed to remove hard water stains. Glass cleaners are formulated to be fast drying. Disinfecting products are designed to kill bacteria, not for cleaning. So, choose the right cleaner for the job.

Most importantly, do not combine products for cleaning. They can react with each other and create toxic fumes. Be sure to read the label and wear protective gear, like rubber gloves. Also, open windows and turn on vents to let fresh air in and release the fumes from your home.

If you have leftover cleaning product you no longer use, check the label. If it the label has the words caution, warning, danger or poison, bring the product to Ramsey County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Site for safe disposal.