Recycling beyond curbside

Thanks to Nancy for all her great information about innovative recycling opportunities around the metro and online. It may be a bit more work than just sorting for curbside pick-up, but think of what is being kept out of the landfills or incinerators! Also, the existence of these programs prove that so much more can actually be recycled than is currently collected...so let's press our municipality to start up collecting some of these materials as well!

• mattresses: Hennepin Co. Recycling Center and Transfer Station, 8100 Jefferson Hwy., Brooklyn Park
• christmas lights: holidayleds.com or Home Depot (check w/ the store; may be seasonal or one-time)
• packing peanuts: reusable at any UPS store
• plastic bags: It's In the Bag program, available at most grocery stores. Many more kinds are recyclable than just grocery and newspaper bags. must be free of all food, clean and dry. remove "zippers."
  
• CDs: recyclable through greendisk.com. Off-site: Lifecyclers Inc. and John’s Twin Ports Recycling, both in Duluth. More info available here.
  
• CD and DVD cases: recyclable them through Greendisk.com or give them away via Craigslist or twincitiesfreemarket.org
• plastic containers: recyclable at Eastside Food Coop and the Coon Rapids Recycling Center. Eastside Food Co-op (2551 Central Ave NE, Mpls) accepts #1, #2, #4, #5, #6 (no foam). Full details available here. The Coon Rapids Recycling Center accepts plastics marked #1-6 (plus styrofoam). Full details available here. Preserve's "Gimme 5" program accepts #5 plastics. Click here for a previous blog post on Gimme 5.
  
• milk cartons, juice boxes, soy milk, soup, broth boxes: recyclable in St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Roseville, Maplewood and Lauderdale's municipal recycling programs (managed by Eureka Recycling). They look waxy but actually are 70-85% paper, which is separated from the plastic coating in a pulping process.
  
• Styrofoam blocks: Coon Rapids Recycling Center (1831 111th Avenue NW (one block east of Hanson), Coon Rapids)
• incandescent light bulb, compact fluorescent light bulb : recyclable at Ikea
• cassette tape, zip disc and other electronics: recyclable through Greendisk.com.
• worn-out blue jeans: Lands End collected them to be made into insulation for habitat for humanity.
• plastic garden pots: accepted at garden centers metro-wide. More info here. And check with your garden center if it isn't listed!
  
• plastic screw-top bottle caps: Aveda makes them into new shampoo bottles. bring to any Aveda store.
• ink cartridges: many organizations collect them ie. Recycling for Raptors, Minnesota Valley Humane Society, etc. only specific brands and types. Check individual websites for guidelines
  
• eyeglasses: Edina Eye Clinic collects for the Lions Clubs. Check with other eye clinics as well.
  
• old shoes: recycle at REI

Get money for your charitable organization for recycling drink pouches, candy wrappers, cookies wrappers, flavia freshpacks, frito lay chip bags, kashi packaging, energy bar wrappers, toasted chips, bear naked bags and wrappers, cell phones, corks, yogurt containers. 2-5 cents per piece.http://www.terracycle.net/ they send you pre-paid envelopes and boxes.

Check here for even more information on recycling more obscure materials!

For me personally, the most exciting opporunity is the ability to recycle plastics taht aren't collected curbside! The Eastside Food Co-op and Coon Rapids Recyling Center accept plastics marked #1-6. It's a bit of a haul, but super-recycler Nancy has offered to accept your plastics at her house and transport it to one of these other great programs! If you are interested, please email me and I will let you know her address (b/c I am NOT posting it directly on the blog). Please SORT your plastics before dropping them at Nancy's.