Refuse Carts
Organics Carts
Recycling Carts
Refuse Carts
Additional Links
Information for Organics Carts
What are organics?
Organics are natural materials that completely break down to make compost. They include all food scraps, most non-recyclable and food-soiled paper, and BPI-certified compostable products. Organics make up 25-35% of what we throw away. Those materials can be separated for composting and recycled into compost instead of being landfilled.
Accepted:
• Dairy products

• Bread, pasta, and cereal
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Eggs, eggshells, paper egg cartons
• Meat, poultry, and fish (including bones)
• Paper towel and toilet paper cores
• Fruits, vegetables, peels, pits, and rinds
• Delivery pizza boxes
• Houseplant trimmings
• Paper towels, napkins, and tissues
• BPI-certified compostable products: bags, paper plates, cups, and utensils
Not Accepted:
• Plastic of any kind:
- K-cups, Styrofoam®, straws
- stickers on produce
• Glass of any kind
• Metal of any kind:
- Twist ties, aluminum foil
• All coated paper products:
- Fast food cups, wrappers, or boxes
- Refrigerator or freezer food boxes
- Milk or other beverage cartons
- Candy wrappers
• Wax paper or parchment paper
• Diapers, diaper wipes, sanitary products
• Litter or pet waste
Information for Recycling Carts
Do not include items that cause issues for the recycling sorting facilities such as plastic bags, household batteries, scrap metal (including chains), string lights, cardboard boxes, and Styrofoam. Those items can be brought to the free Columbia Heights Recycling Center. Place recyclables loose in your recycling cart or in a paper bag. No plastic bags.
Paper
(clean, staples OK)
• Mail, office & school papers
• Magazines & catalogs
• Newspapers & inserts
• Phone books
• Toilet paper & paper towel cores
Boxes
(flatten)
• Cardboard
• Cereal, cracker & pasta boxes
• Shoe, gift & electronic boxes
• Toothpaste & other to
iletry boxes
• Tissue boxes
Glass
(empty, labels OK, no caps)
• Food & beverage bottles & jars
Metal
(empty, labels OK)
• Food & beverage cans
Plastic Bottles & Jugs
Plastics #1, 2 & 5
(empty, rinse, caps on, no pumps)
• Water, soda & juice
bottles
• Milk & juice jugs
• Ketchup & salad dressing bottles
• Shampoo, soap & lotion bottles
• Laundry containers
Plastic Cups & Containers
Plastics #1, 2 & 5
(empty, rinse, lids on if same number)
• Yogurt, pudding & fruit cups
• Clear plastic cups & produce containers
• Margarine, cottage
cheese, cream cheese, other tubs & lids
Cartons
(empty, rinse, caps on)
• Milk cartons
• Juice cartons
• Juice boxes
• Soup, broth & wine cartons
Leave these out since they...
Damage Equipment, Harm Workers, and Are Not Recyclable
• Plastic bags
• Batteries
• Black plastics
• Ropes, hoses, chains
• Medical sharps
• Foil pouches, bags, wrappers
• Bulky items
• Hazardous products
• Plastic straws & utensils
Information for Refuse Carts
Do not include:
• Hazardous waste (Bring to the free Household Hazardous Waste Facility)
• Tires (bring to the free Columbia Heights Recycling Center)
• Yard waste (picked up off the curb in bags and bundles during the season)
• Bulky items such as electronics, mattresses, and appliances (contact Public Works to schedule a pick-up)
Additional Links
Anoka County Household Hazardous Waste Facility
Anoka County Recycling and Resource Solutions
Columbia Heights Recycling Center
Refuse & Recycling Support Page
Yard Waste/Organics Program
• Eggs, eggshells, paper egg cartons
• Meat, poultry, and fish (including bones)
• Paper towel and toilet paper cores
• Fruits, vegetables, peels, pits, and rinds
• Delivery pizza boxes
• Houseplant trimmings
• Paper towels, napkins, and tissues
• BPI-certified compostable products: bags, paper plates, cups, and utensils
Not Accepted:
• Plastic of any kind:
- K-cups, Styrofoam®, straws

- stickers on produce
• Glass of any kind
• Metal of any kind:
- Twist ties, aluminum foil
• All coated paper products:
- Fast food cups, wrappers, or boxes
- Refrigerator or freezer food boxes
- Milk or other beverage cartons
- Candy wrappers
• Wax paper or parchment paper
• Diapers, diaper wipes, sanitary products
• Litter or pet waste
Information for Recycling Carts
Do not include items that cause issues for the recycling sorting facilities such as plastic bags, household batteries, scrap metal (including chains), string lights, cardboard boxes, and Styrofoam. Those items can be brought to the free Columbia Heights Recycling Center. Place recyclables loose in your recycling cart or in a paper bag. No plastic bags.
Paper
(clean, staples OK)

• Mail, office & school papers
• Magazines & catalogs
• Newspapers & inserts
• Phone books
• Toilet paper & paper towel cores
Boxes
(flatten)
• Cardboard
• Cereal, cracker & pasta boxes
• Shoe, gift & electronic boxes
• Toothpaste & other to

• Tissue boxes
Glass
(empty, labels OK, no caps)
• Food & beverage bottles & jars
Metal
(empty, labels OK)
• Food & beverage cans
Plastic Bottles & Jugs
Plastics #1, 2 & 5
(empty, rinse, caps on, no pumps)
• Water, soda & juice

• Milk & juice jugs
• Ketchup & salad dressing bottles
• Shampoo, soap & lotion bottles
• Laundry containers
Plastic Cups & Containers
Plastics #1, 2 & 5
(empty, rinse, lids on if same number)
• Yogurt, pudding & fruit cups
• Clear plastic cups & produce containers
• Margarine, cottage

Cartons
(empty, rinse, caps on)
• Milk cartons
• Juice cartons
• Juice boxes
• Soup, broth & wine cartons
Leave these out since they...
Damage Equipment, Harm Workers, and Are Not Recyclable
• Plastic bags
• Batteries
• Black plastics
• Ropes, hoses, chains
• Medical sharps
• Foil pouches, bags, wrappers
• Bulky items
• Hazardous products
• Plastic straws & utensils
Information for Refuse Carts
Do not include:
• Hazardous waste (Bring to the free Household Hazardous Waste Facility)
• Tires (bring to the free Columbia Heights Recycling Center)
• Yard waste (picked up off the curb in bags and bundles during the season)
• Bulky items such as electronics, mattresses, and appliances (contact Public Works to schedule a pick-up)
Additional Links
Anoka County Household Hazardous Waste Facility
Anoka County Recycling and Resource Solutions
Columbia Heights Recycling Center
Refuse & Recycling Support Page
Yard Waste/Organics Program