Attention, gardeners! From seasoned growers to novice seed-sowers, all are welcome at the 3rd annual Minneapolis Garden Tool Swap. Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling and community partners are excited to once again offer this free event on Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at seven parks citywide.
As you start Spring cleaning, hang on to unused yard tools, planters, garden décor, books, seeds, and more, and share them with neighbors at the swap. You do not need to bring items to participate. All items donated at the swap are free for any participant to take home. For more event details, visit the City’s Garden Tool Swap web page.
In 2022, over 2,200 items were dropped off and more than 66% of items were taken by the end of the three-hour event. Let’s make this year bigger and better. Let us know you’re coming and invite your friends and loved ones to join.
Hennepin County organizes collection events throughout the year to give residents more convenient local disposal options for their household hazardous waste. Note: the county will not accept electronics at the collection events; household hazardous waste will be accepted only. Collection events take place Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Upcoming collection events:
- Minnetonka, May 12 and 13
Minnetonka Public Works Department
11522 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka, MN 55305 - Minneapolis, June 23 and 24
Pillsbury Elementary School (enter off 22nd Ave. NE)
2250 NE Garfield St., Minneapolis, MN 55418 - Minneapolis, August 2023
Location and dates for an August event in Minneapolis are being finalized. Check the Hennepin County website later this month for details. - Orono/Wayzata, September 22 and 23:
Hennepin County Public Works Orono Shop
3880 Shoreline Drive, Orono, MN 55391 - Learn more about Hazardous Waste Collection events on the Hennepin County website
2022 Waste sort results now available
In Spring 2022, we sorted the contents of garbage, recycling and organics carts from 700 single-family homes – 50% of which were signed up for organics recycling. Contents of each cart were sorted into 55 categories. Here are some of our key findings from the garbage:
- Only 32% of what’s put in garbage carts are items that belong in the garbage cart. The remaining 68% could have been recycled or composted.
- Organics – food scraps, wasted food, and other compostable items – were the most common item in the garbage (35%).
- Recyclables made up another 13% of items found in garbage carts.
- In 2022, an estimated total of $2.8 million worth of recyclable (10,272 tons) and compostable (27,253 tons) materials were put in Solid Waste & Recycling garbage carts.
- Find the full report on our Division web page under the Studies & Reports drop-down menu.
We can all do better! This Earth Day, commit to recycling and composting all the right items!
Please reach out with any questions. Happy Spring!
Claire Pardubsky (she|her|hers) | Recycling Program Assistant
City of Minneapolis – Public Works | Solid Waste & Recycling
🕿 Office: 612-673-3318 | 🖂 [email protected]
2635 University Ave NE | Minneapolis, MN | 55418 | www.minneapolismn.gov
