In order to make sure your items get recycled once they reach the recycling facility, make sure to keep contaminants out of your bin and follow these simple rules:

• Do not use plastic bags.
• Place recyclables loose in your recycling cart or in a paper bag.
• Empty and dry bottles, jars and containers. They don't have to be perfect — just free of most residue.
• Leave caps on containers.
• Empty and flatten boxes.

YES - Put these items in recycling bins

Paper

• Newspaper and inserts
• Magazines and catalogs
• Mail and office papers

Cardboard

• Corrugated cardboard
• Paperboard (e.g., cracker boxes)

Cartons

• Milk and juice cartons
• Soup, broth, and wine cartons
• Juice boxes

Metal cans

• Aluminum, tin, and steel cans

Glass bottles and jars

Plastic bottles, containers and jugs

• Containers numbered 1, 2 or 5
• Soda, juice and water bottles
• Milk and juice jugs
• Margarine, cottage cheese, cream cheese and other tubs and lids
• Laundry detergent bottles and jugs
• Clear berry and produce containers

NO - Do not put these items in your recycling

• Batteries
  • When placed in recycling or solid waste containers, batteries can easily start fires. Bring them to a drop off location like the Carver County Environmental Center.
• Black plastic
• Bulky plastic items
  • Large plastic items like laundry baskets, storage bins, lawn furniture, and plastic toys, and other large plastic items can't be recycled. There are not good markets for recycling these items, and they are difficult to sort at recycling facilities. Purchase high-quality items, use them for as long as possible, and donate items that are in good shape when you're ready to get rid of them.
• Ceramic dishware
• Clothing and textiles
• Food
• Household hazardous waste/hazardous waste
  • Household Hazardous Waste should be brought to the Carver County Environmental Center in Chaska
• Paper plates, cups, and napkins
  • Paper cups, plates, takeout containers can’t be recycled because they are often lined with plastic or contaminated with food. Avoid them by choosing reusable cups, mugs and plates.
• Diapers
• Pharmaceuticals and medicines/medical waste
• Plastic bags and film
  • Plastic bags and wrap get tangled in the equipment at recycling sorting facilities and workers spend hours each day removing them. Plastic bags and wrap can be recycled if brought back to a retail drop-off location or one of the Carver County drop-off sites.
• Metal cylinders (e.g., propane tanks)
  • Cylinders and tanks contain a compressed gas that makes them explosive and potential fire hazards. It is illegal to put propane tanks, helium tanks, and other pressurized cylinders in your household recycling or trash.
• Scrap metal* (e.g., metal pots and pans)
  • Metal items such as pots and pans, pipes, hangers, and tools can damage equipment and harm workers at recycling facilities. All metal can be recycled, just not in your recycling cart at home. Take random metal items to a scrap metal recycler or one of Carver County's drop-off sites.
• Sharps and Needles
  • Needles and sharps should be managed and disposed of safely to prevent injury and disease transmission from needle-sticks. They should never be placed in your recycling cart. 
• Shredded paper
  • Shredded paper is difficult for sorting machinery to capture and leads to contamination. Avoid shredding paper and look for ways to reduce your paper waste instead, like signing up for e-statements whenever possible.
• Styrofoam™
• Tanglers (e.g., chains, extension cords, hoses, string lights)
  • Keep “tanglers” like cords, hoses and string lights out of your recycling bin. As the name suggests, these items get tangled in the equipment at recycling facilities. You can recycle cords and string lights at Hennepin County drop-off facilities. 
• Trash
• Yard waste and Christmas trees
• All items banned from being placed in the trash or recycling in state or local law – including:
  • Electronics
  • Major Appliances
  • Sharps (e.g., lancets, needles, syringes)
  • Tires

For hazardous or difficult to dispose of items visit the Carver County Environmental Center.

Carver County Residents have access to the Betterbin recycling app. We wanted our residents to have a one-stop-shop for answers to all of their recycling and composting questions. With this app residents can scan a product UPC barcode or text search for an item and receive community and service provider specific recycling and composting instructions.

Carver County Environmental Services and The Betterbin team worked with all material recovery processors in the area to ensure residents receive accurate material recovery instructions for their specific community based on where the materials end up for processing.

How to Use the App

1. Go to the App Store or Google Play 
2. Search for Betterbin
3. Download the app on to your mobile device
4. Create an account and log in
5. Select "recycle"
6. Select your community and waste hauler from the drop down list
7. Repeat the process to set up your preferred compost program
8. Start scanning or searching for items!

Changes in waste management service providers and commodity markets make it difficult for residents to keep up with which materials are acceptable in curbside and drop-off programs. The app technology provides all county residents with a single education tool that also allows for variability in recycling and composting instructions at the municipal and service provider level.

The ultimate goal of the app is to generate higher volumes of acceptable materials, and decrease contamination in recycling and compost carts. When we can meet these goals, we create processing efficiencies and generate more economic value from the recovered materials.  

Betterbin is a Wausau, WI based tech and social impact startup. Betterbin uses data and technology to make it easier for consumers to properly recycle and compost. Learn more at about.betterbin.app. 

The Environmental Services Department is here to help, visit some of the pages below for recycling locations, events, resources and funding opportunities to help you or your favorite school or business reduce the amount of waste created in Carver County.

A-Z Disposal Guide

The A-Z disposal guide has gone interactive. Please note: This guide is intended for residential waste only. If your business has waste to dispose of please call (952) 361-1836 email dheidinger@co.carver.mn.us or visit our Industrial Hazardous Waste page for more information.

Recycling Grants

Carver County provides grant funding to schools, businesses, and organizations located in Carver County to reduce waste, design a new or improved recycling program, or start organics recycling.

Recycling Resources

Images and brochures are made available for use by Carver County businesses, schools and other organizations at no charge. Items that appear on each sign can potentially be customized to reflect common items at your location. Assistance with printing may also be available in some situations.

Rural Recycling Drop-Off Sites

Carver County operates rural recycling drop-off sites in the cities of Cologne, Mayer and Norwood Young America. The sites are open to residents and businesses year round.

Special Waste Collections

Each year, Carver County conducts two Special Waste Collection days where residents can drop-off their special waste items.