Where does the recycling go?

Have you ever wondered where your recycling goes after your bin is emptied by your waste service provider – how it’s sorted, processed, and whether it’s really recycled?

Representatives from waste haulers serving Eden Prairie answered those questions and explained what should and shouldn’t be placed in recycling bins.

Where do curbside recyclables go?

Republic Services processes recyclables at its facilities in Minneapolis and Inver Grove Heights, with Minneapolis being the primary location for Eden Prairie materials.

Suburban Waste Services transports recyclables to a processing plant in Shakopee, while WM (formerly Waste Management) handles Eden Prairie recycling at its Minneapolis facility.

How are recyclables sorted and processed?

Facilities use a combination of human workers and complex machinery.

Presorters remove unsafe items, such as bulky objects or anything that could damage equipment or harm employees.

Then, a large network of machines uses conveyor belts, screens, magnets, air blowers and optical sensors to sort items into appropriate groups. Some facilities are beginning to use equipment with artificial intelligence to assist in the sorting.

After sorting, recyclable materials are compressed into blocks called bales. The bales are then transported to “end markets” – businesses that buy recycled material to create new products.

How much is actually recycled?

In 2023, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota had a recycling rate of 45.3%. The state has set a goal to recycle and compost 75% of solid waste by 2030. 

To help reach that goal, state law requires that at least 85% of the recycling collected curbside and processed at recycling centers go to end markets that will eventually turn the material into new products.

This means 15% or less can go to a landfill or incinerator. If a waste service provider exceeds the 15% limit, the state taxes the provider on the excess amount.

According to Steve Schiefelbein, a recycling representative from Republic Services, 70% to 80% of recycled materials that are collected, sorted and sold by Republic Services are sold to end markets in Minnesota.

Recycled plastic can be turned into a variety of new products, such as bottles, lawn furniture, flower pots, garden edging, plastic handles and car battery cases.

Aluminum cans are often recycled into beverage containers and body components for automobiles and airplanes. Other cans can be repurposed into new cans or steel beams.

Recycled glass can become new glass containers or fiberglass. Paper is often recycled into boxes for cereal and beverage cases. Recycled cardboard can be used to create new cardboard boxes.

What can and cannot be put in the recycle bin?

Items that can be recycled by most curbside waste service providers include:

• Plastics with a No. 1, 2 or 5 in the recycling symbol
• Cartons (used for milk, juice, broth, soup, etc.)
• Paper (including glossy print)
• Cardboard
• Aluminum and tin cans (used for food and beverages)
• Glass (beverage bottles, mason jars)

Items that cannot be recycled by a waste service provider include:

• PVC
• Styrofoam
• Plastic film/grocery bags
• Aluminum foil
• Diapers
• Light bulbs
• Organic materials (food- or plant-based items)

“If in doubt, throw it out,” said Schiefelbein.

Dangerous items that should not be placed in a recycling bin include:

• Propane tanks
• Batteries
• Medical sharps/needles
• Hoses
• Chains

Flammable items, such as batteries and propane tanks, are especially dangerous. “These items can cause explosions and fires in the collection trucks and recycling facilities,” said Taryn Nance, an area communications manager at WM.

“Anything that requires a USB port or that lights up likely contains a lithium-ion battery and should not go in the trash or your curbside recycling container,” said Schiefelbein.

Useful tips

According to Schiefelbein, the following tips will help ensure that recyclable items are processed efficiently:

• Make sure items are empty, clean and dry before placing them in the recycling bin.
• Flatten cardboard boxes to help them get sorted more efficiently.
• Do not bag items; place them loose in the recycling bin.
• Do not smash plastic items. Keeping them in their original form makes it easier for automated recycling equipment to distinguish different types of plastics.
• Do not put shredded paper in the recycling bin. It acts like confetti and can travel through the air inside the facility.

Education is key

“Our biggest challenge to increasing recycling is education to have more people recycle as much as they can,” said Paul Rosland, owner and president of Suburban Waste Services.

“We really appreciate the people who take recycling seriously,” said Schiefelbein. “We want to educate the home user as to what material is acceptable to go into the recycling bin and to remember to keep them empty, clean and dry, which gives us the best chance of capturing your recyclables during the marketing stage and marketing them.”

Hennepin County provides a useful reference sheet.

“At the end of the day, recycling is an opportunity for every one of us to have a positive impact on the environment,” said Nance. “If we work together, we can improve recycling rates, strengthen our recycling systems and enable a more sustainable world. Simply put – recycling works when we work together.” 

To recycle items that can’t be tossed in recycling bins

The following items can be dropped off at designated locations for recycling:

• Batteries – Batteries Plus, Home Depot
• Light bulbs – Batteries Plus, Menards
• Small electronics – Batteries Plus
• Plastic film and grocery bags – Target, Walmart, Lunds & Byerlys, Kowalski’s
• Propane tanks exchanges (bring an empty tank and buy a full one) – Gas stations or retail stores that sell propane tanks

Subscription-based recycling companies, such as Ridwell and TerraCycle, offer solutions for hard-to-recycle items and other waste that may not be accepted by curbside services. These companies typically provide regular pickups for a monthly fee. Some items can be recycled for free with TerraCycle.