Recycling in St. Cloud; Do's and Don'ts [PODCAST]

What should St. Cloud residents put in the big blue bins? Dan Legatt is the Operations Manager for Solid Waste and Recycling in St. Cloud. He says what people should and shouldn't recycle is identified on top of each blue bin. He says people often think any type of plastic can be recycled by the city but that isn't the case. Legatt says cardboard can be recycled but pizza boxes can only be accepted if food materials, cheese, sauce or oil haven't contaminated the material. Listen to our conversation below.

The city of St. Cloud up until 2013 would profit from recycling by approximately $200,000 a year but when China stopped buying recycling products from the United States the demand for recycling changed dramatically. Legatt says all of the recycling from St. Cloud is trucked to Inver Grove Heights in the Twin Cities metro and sent through their facility. He says recycling now costs of the city of St. Cloud between $100,000 to $150,000 a year. Legatt says recycling is still worth it due to the preservation of the environment.

Many items can be recycled even if city can't take them. Legatt says household hazardous wastes can be donated for free to the Stearns County Hazardous Waste facility in Waite Park near Mills Fleet Farm. Those items can include unused paint. He says appliances can also be donated often times.

Learn more about the City of St. Cloud and recycling opportunities.