Recycling Collection

The City of Red Wing first began operating a recycling collection service in January, 1994. The Public Works Department’s goal was to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills and to promote a healthy and sustainable future for the community. Red Wing residents have helped reached this goal by steadily increasing the volume of refuse diverted from incineration and being recycled instead. The active participation of residents is key to the success of the program.

Efficiencies are being realized every day in recycling operations. A few examples are co-mingling and dumping recyclables into roll-off containers. These practices have allowed crews to reduce collection time by approximately eight hours per week. The same level of service has been maintained using the same amount of personnel despite adding 30 to 50 new accounts each year due to new construction in the community.

Recycling Methods

On September 22, 2004 the City Council approved the purchase of two new recycling trucks. The new trucks offer additional efficiencies in recycling operations. The dual compactors have a movable bulkhead that allows the compartments to be adjusted as they are filled.

Other efficiencies being realized in recycling operations include co-mingling and dumping recyclables into roll-off containers. This practice has allowed crews to reduce collection time by approximately eight hours per week. The same level of service has been maintained using the same amount of personnel despite adding 30 to 50 new accounts each year due to new construction in the community.

The new trucks allow crews to collect fiber (cardboard, newsprint, magazines, office paper) in one compacting unit and containers (plastic, tin, and aluminum) in the other portion of the compacting unit. Clear glass goes in the front compartment which is non-compacting. Colored glass (green and brown) is placed in rolling bins attached to the frame of the truck. The new trucks allow dumping to be reduced to an average of one to one-and a-half-times per day.

The new system also makes sorting recyclables easier for residents. All fiber products may now be combined. Plastic, tin, and aluminum may be combined in a separate bag. Colored glass must still be alone. Studies show co-mingling can increase recycling participation, enhancing the overall success of the recycling program. The reduction in dumping demands is expected to save an additional four to six hours each week.

The two new trucks were purchased with slightly more funding than was budgeted for one new truck due to other trucks being traded in. The labor savings in reductions for collection time is expected to offset the hard cost in approximately two years.

Recycling Guidelines

The City of Red Wing offers residential curbside collection for recyclables with these guidelines:

• All recycling MUST be placed out at the curb for collection by 6:30 a.m. on your designated recycling day for your area.
• All recycling must be placed in paper bags or separate containers (plastic bags can be used if you do not have another alternative but they should not be tied shut and the plastic bags are not recyclable).
• Residents are not required to use a “City of Red Wing” Recycling Bin, but crews look for containers marked “recycling”. If recycling is placed out just in bags, crews may not know it is recyclables.
• All recycling must be propertly sorted for crews to collect it.

Sorting

Recyclable items collected by the City of Red Wing can be sorted into three categories: Fibers, Rigids & Glass. Below is a link to each of these three categories and a description of what is acceptable, how it is recycled, what is not acceptable, and why it is not acceptable.  Click here for a handy printable version of a Recyclable Items Reference Guide.

• Fiber Products, such as newspapers, cardboard, magazines, phone books and white paper. Bag or bundle these items together
• Rigids, including plastic, tin and aluminum. Bag these together.
• Glass. Glass should be sorted by color.

Textiles, Batteries, and Electronics

While each of these types of items may be recyclable, the City of Red Wing currently does not have a program for recycling them. The links below provide information on how and where these items can be recycled.

• Textiles
• Batteries
• Electronics

Special Recycling Service

The City of Red Wing has special recycling services that provide commercial or industrial business with opportunity’s to dispose of cardboard or other materials, by dumpster or by special arrangement.

Please contact the Solid Waste Division at 651.385.3658 or Public Works Department at 651.385.3674 or for further information, and or special requests.

Commercial or Industrial Recycling Dumpster Pricing
Fees and charges for Commercial or Industrial Recycling Services can be found by clicking on the Solid Waste Fee Schedule below

2010 Fee Schedule - Solid Waste Division

Billing
Charges for commercial or industrial recycling dumpsters will be reflected on each business' city services invoice

Marketing Recyclable Materials

Many household items can be recycled. However, it may not be economically possible to recycle all types of particular materials. New technology will produce new markets for more materials in the future. In order for a material to be recycled:

• A market must exist that will accept the material and use it to make a new product.
• The material must be in dedmand by manufacturers to produce a saleable product and a sufficient, steady supply of a good quality material must be provided to manufacturer's production needs.
• A material must meet market specifications. It can not be contaminated with dirt or grease.
• Consumers must purchase products made from recycled materials.