Green organics recycling carts for collecting food scraps, food-soiled paper products and other compostable items such as coffee grounds, dryer lint, and pet and human hair are now dotting alleys and curbsides around the city. As of October 26, 2015 just over 31% of the city’s solid waste and recycling customers have signed up for organics recycling; that is just over 33,500 households participating. Solid Waste & Recycling have delivered a cart to over 12,000 homes in Phase 1 neighborhoods. Another 21,548 households have signed up in Phase 2 neighborhoods. Phase 2 households will receive carts next spring.
Half of your neighborhood is in Phase 1 and can get a cart now! There is no additional cost to residents to sign up. Sign up to get an organics recycling cart by calling Solid Waste & Recycling office 612-673-3536 or by emailing SWRcustomer@minneapolismn.gov
Why should you participate in the program? Here are five good reasons:
- Reduce waste. More than a third of our trash is organic material that can be composted. Most families can divert up to 10 pounds
of materials to organics recycling each week. - Compost more. Things like meat, bones, dairy products and compostable plastics can’t go in a backyard composting bin, but they can be collected through organics rec
ycling and turned into compost. - Save money. Once you start producing less trash, you may be able to switch to a smaller garbage cart, which will cut $3 off your monthly bill.
- Be a part of the sustainability trend. More than 33,500 households have already signed up to participate. Join them in reducing waste.
- Improve soil quality. Using compost returns nutrients to the soil, reduces erosion, and reduces the needs for watering and for chemical fertilizers.
Visit the Organics Recycling section of our website at www.minneapolismn.gov/organics to see a detailed list of materials accepted, frequently asked questions, and more!
Here are a few items to remember for those of you already participating:
- Organics must be bagged. Certified compostable plastic bags or paper grocery bags are acceptable. Pizza boxes and egg cartons do not need to be bagged and may be placed loose in the green organics cart.
- Plastic-lined paper items are not accepted. These include: milk cartons, Chinese food containers, paper ice cream tubs, and more. To be accepted in the organics recycling program, plastic-lined items must have the BPI logo on them to verify they have a compostable lining.
- Dryer sheets and dental floss are not accepted; they contain plastic.
If you do not have an organics cart yet, all Minneapolis residents can use the residential organics drop-offs located in seven different parks throughout the City. Visit the drop-offs section of our organics page at www.minneapolismn.gov/organics for a listing of the drop-off locations.
For more information or to sign up for your organics cart, call Solid Waste & Recycling at 612-673-3536 or email SWRcustomer@minneapolismn.gov
