Recycle, Trash and Hazardous Waste Disposal

Learn how to properly dispose of recyclable material, trash and hazardous waste below.

City Code Collection and Disposal Requirements

Review the city's requirements for trash and recycling collection and disposal here.

Online Recycling Guide

Learn how to properly dispose of hundreds of unwanted items year-round by typing in your unwanted item in the Online Recycling Guide search box on the bottom of this page.

Take advantage of Dakota County The Recycling Zone!

Only a short drive from IGH, The Recycling Zone (3365 Dodd Road, Eagan) is a collection facility open year-round to all Dakota County residents. Household hazardous waste, most electronics, scrap metal, cardboard and more is accepted for FREE. Tires, TVs and computer monitors have a small fee. Visit The Recycling Zone for a full list of accepted items list, prices and hours of operation.

Community Collection Events

Visit the Community Collection Events page to find local opportunities to recycle and dispose of unwanted items.

Medication Drop-Off, IGH Police Station 

The City of Inver Grove Heights, in partnership with Dakota County, provide a place to dispose of prescription drugs safely and anonymously. The medication drop box is located near the Police Department counter inside City Hall (8150 Barbara Avenue) and is accessible Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The closest parking lot and entryway is located on the west side of City Hall.

How to Drop Off Your Medicine:

• Drop-off is safe and anonymous. No ID is required and no questions will be asked.
• Keep medicines in their original container and place them in a sealed, clear plastic bag (pills can remain in their blister packs).
• Use a marker to cross out your name on the medicine containers.
• Place medicine that is no longer in its original container in a clear plastic bag and write the name of the medicine on the bag.
• Medicines from households are accepted in any form, including prescription, over-the-counter, and pet medications.
• No medicines from businesses, including health care facilities, long-term care facilities, pharmacies, doctors’ offices, and veterinary clinics can be accepted.
• Not Accepted: Needles/sharps and fever thermometers

Environmental Education Resources

Residents, businesses, schools and organizations are welcome to use free article templates, handouts, activity kits and more to educate about recycling, organics, household hazardous waste and waste prevention.

Reduce and Reuse

Learn how to minimize the amount of waste you generate by reducing your consumption, buying used and more.

Shop Secondhand 

The average Dakota County resident creates 2,180 pounds of waste each year. Reduce the amount we toss by buying used. Donating and shopping at secondhand stores saves you money, supports local businesses and helps you create unique style. Buying used has an added benefit: it keeps our air and water clean and saves natural resources by not having to make new products.

You can go beyond brick-and-mortar stores to find what you need and get rid of what you don’t. Use online outlets to save the planet and your wallet.

• NextDoor.com – look in the “For Sale” section
• Facebook.com - for neighborhood buy/sell groups and Marketplace
• Craigslist.com
• Ebay.com - choose “used” as a filter option
• Amazon.com - choose “used” as a filter option
• thredUP.com - for women and kid clothing and accessories

Donation and Reuse Guide

If your unwanted item is in reusable condition, try to donate or sell before recycling or throwing away the item. Give away or sell a reusable item to your neighbors on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Nextdoor or other donation opportunities listed on the Recycling Guide. Find many tips for selling and buying used in the Dakota County Reuse Guide.

Safe Swap

Use the IGH Safe Swap located at the Inver Grove Heights’ Public Safety building in the customer parking lot to exchange items in person. More information can be found here.

Prevent Wasted Food and Save Money

It takes a lot of water, energy and fuel to get food to our plates, yet we trash 40 percent of the food in the U.S. See how well you are at not wasting food. Dakota County offers helpful tips and tools to save money and reduce food waste.

Fix-It Clinics

Do you have an items that needs to be fixed or mended? Bring it to a Fix-Clinic to have it fixed for free. Find more information here.

Yard Waste and Organics Recycling

One-third of our trash is made of organics materials like food scraps and yard waste. Learn about the organics recycling programs available in Dakota County below.

Free Organics Drop-Site

Food waste makes up nearly 20 percent of our household trash, yet it doesn’t do any good sitting in a landfill. Instead, food scraps could turn into beneficial compost – a soil-like material used to help plants grow. Sign up for the free organics collection program to access five drop-off sites throughout Dakota County with more being added this year.

Organics drop-off site collection goes beyond backyard composting by accepting meat, bones, dairy products and pizza boxes. Food waste goes to a commercial compost facility in Rosemount where it is processed at higher temperatures that kill bacteria and break down larger pieces.

To sign up, register online, call 952-891-7557 or email. All participants receive helpful tips and free compostable bags to use at home.

Composting at Home

Home composting is an easy way to turn much of the waste from your yard and kitchen into a rich material that you can use to improve your soil. Composting happens when microbes break down food scraps, grass clippings and leaves into a soil-like material called compost. Compost is rich in plant food, holds more water than regular soil, and lessens the need for fertilizers and weed killers. Find how to compost in your own backyard here.  

Yard Waste Disposal

Yard waste cannot be place in your household trash. Instead, it must be pick up by your trash hauler separately as seasonal yard waste or brought to a yard waste facility. Find where to dispose of yard waste here. 

Resources for Businesses, Schools and Multifamily Properties

Find recycling and disposal resources for businesses, schools and multifamily properties below.

Multifamily Recycling Program

Does your property need recycling bins or labels? Have you received recycling contamination fees from your hauler? Do your residents have questions about how to properly dispose of recycling or large bulky items?

If so – the Dakota County Multifamily Recycling Program provided in partnership with the City of Inver Grove Heights is here to help!

Through this program, properties in Dakota County, MN with 2 or more units can receive the following at no cost: 

• FREE assistance to set up or improve your recycling program,
• FREE trash and recycling labels, posters, and recycling and disposal informational brochures,
• FREE educational presentations for residents and staff,
• FREE recycling containers for common areas up to $10,000 in value,
• FREE recycling tote bags for residents, and more! 

Multifamily properties in Dakota County, MN who manage waste through a common contract with four or more residential units must provide residents the opportunity to recycle per County Ordinance 110 and City Code 8-6. The free Multifamily Recycling Program was created to help you set up or improve your recycling program so that you are in compliance with county and city ordinances. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please email Ally Sutherland or call 651-604-8511.

Business Requirements & Assistance

Dakota County Ordinance 110 and City Code 8-6 include recycling and waste management requirements for businesses designed to reduce waste going to landfills, improve the quality of materials recycled, and make progress toward the state's goal to recycle 75 percent of waste by 2030. You can find additional recycling and disposal information for Dakota County businesses here. 

Dakota County offers funding up to $10,000 to eligible businesses and organizations to start or improve waste management practices, including waste prevention, recycling and food waste prevention and organics collection for food donation or composting. Learn more about the funding assistance here.

School Recycling and Disposal

Grants are available to help prevent wasted food, reduce waste, improve recycling and organics collection, and educate students and staff. Request free recycling education performances, field trips, container labels and activity guides.

Environmental Education Resources

Businesses, residents, schools and organizations are welcome to use free article templates, handouts, activity kits and more to educate about recycling, organics, household hazardous waste and waste prevention.

Volunteer with IGH

Help advance the City's mission to reduce waste and promote recycling in the Inver Grove Heights' community! Find ways to help by volunteering below.

Master Recycler/Composter (MRC) Program

Do you want to learn more about recycling, composting, waste reduction and more? Visit this page to learn how you can become a Master Recycler/Composter and inspire others to help reduce waste in Dakota County. 

Fix-It Clinics

Do you know how to fix things, such as mend clothing or tinker with electronics? Learn more about how you can help fix your neighbors' broken items here.

City Recycling Events, Adopt-a-Park and more!

Visit the City's Volunteer page to find all volunteer opportunities with the City of Inver Grove Heights related to recycling events, environmental education, city parks, and more!