The Recycling Zone accepts the following materials from Dakota County residents. All items are accepted for free unless otherwise specified. A valid driver’s license is required when dropping off items.
If the item you are trying to dispose of isn’t listed below, visit Dakota County’s Residential Recycling and Disposal Guide for other local reuse, recycling and disposal options.
Household electronics and recyclables accepted
Household electronics and recyclables are accepted during the electronics and recycling drop-off hours at The Recycling Zone.
Electronics accepted
The following electronics are accepted from residents for free.
- Answering machines
- Copiers
- Computer equipment (keyboards, mouse, towers, hard drives, modems, etc.)
- DVD players
- Electronic games systems (Wii™, PlayStation™, Xbox®, Nintendo DS™, Leap Frog®, VTech®, etc.)
- Fax machines
- iPods®, MP3 and other portable media players
- Laptops
- Monitors/terminals
- Printers
- Scanners
- Stereo equipment
- Telephones (including cell phones and smart phones)
- Televisions
- VCR players
Small household electronics accepted*
- Blenders (remove glass pitcher)
- Bread makers
- Cameras
- Carpet sweepers
- Clocks
- Coffee makers (remove glass carafe)
- Electric knives
- Electric toothbrushes
- Food sealing equipment
- Fryers
- Hair dryers
- Irons
- Massagers
- Metal tools (drills, screwdrivers, sanders, small saws, etc.)
- Mixers
- Portable fans
- Radios
- Remotes
- Shaving equipment
- Small Heaters
- Toasters
- Toaster ovens
- Vacuum cleaners (remove bags)
* Remove batteries from all items.
Recyclables accepted
The following items are accepted for recycling and should be separated by type. Call 651-905-4520 to arrange for loads larger than would fit in the bed of a pick-up truck.
- Aluminum foil (clean)
- Aluminum cans
- Bicycles
- Tin and steel food cans
- Cardboard
- Cartons (milk, juice boxes, soup, broth, wine)
- Cooking oil
- Boxes (cake mixes, cereal, toothpaste, pasta and other dry goods)
- Glass bottles and jars
- Holiday lights and cords (Christmas lights and extension cords)
- Home sharps (needles, syringes, lancets)*
- Lawn mowers
- Magazines and catalogs
- Mail
- Newspapers
- Office and school papers
- Packing peanuts
- Plastic shopping bags
- Plastic
- Bottles and jugs
- Yogurt, pudding and fruit cups
- Margarine, cottage cheese and other plastic tubs
- Produce, deli and take-out containers
- Shampoo, soap and lotion bottles
- Dishwashing liquid bottles and detergent jugs
- Phone books
- Scrap metal
- Snow blowers
- Tires (fees apply)
*Place sharps into a rigid container such as plastic laundry detergent bottle with the lid taped shut and label the container "Do not recycle: household sharps."
Not accepted
- Styrofoam
- Microwavable food trays
Household chemicals and hazardous waste accepted
The materials listed below are accepted from residents only during specific days and hours. For your safety and The Recycling Zone employee safety, place household chemicals in a box when transporting. Product contents should be labeled and in the original package. Never mix or pour household chemicals together.
- Aerosols
- Antifreeze
- Auto batteries
- Fire extinguishers
- Fluorescent light bulbs
- Gasoline
- Household cleaners
- Latex/oil paint
- Lawn and garden products
- Mercury thermometers
- Pesticides
- Pool and spa chemicals
- Propane tanks/gas cylinders
- Thermostats
- Used oil/filters
- Weed killer
- Most products labeled dangerous, flammable, poison, combustible or corrosive