How to Recycle Tires & Electronics in Minnesota

Both tires and electronics represent problem factors in landfills around the country---tires degrade very slowly, and electronics are made with rare earth magnets and heavy metals that can leach out of a landfill and pollute groundwater. Most states provide statues that limit or mandate what can and cannot be recycled, and leave the implementation to counties and municipalities. Minnesota is no exception.

Instructions

Recycling Electronics

• 1

  Consider donating the electronics item to a thrift store if it's still in usable condition. Many electronic items such as CRT monitors and cell phones can be reconditioned and sold to people in other parts of the world, or used in community outreach programs.

• 2

  Package your electronics in something sturdy, so that the pickup crew has an easy time carrying it. If you held on to the original packaging material, this is an ideal time to use it. A high quality cardboard box will suffice.

• 3

  Contact your local county Household Hazardous Waste facility. Its phone number will be in your local telephone book; your local electric company and fire department will also know how to get in touch with them, as will your county library.

• 4

  Turn the items over to the county waste disposal team. Depending on the county, there may be a per-item or per-pound fee to cover the expense of disposal. Some large chain electronics stores, such as Best Buy, will also accept electronic items for recycling.

Recycling Tires

• 5

  Contact your county's local Hazardous Waste facility, and ask for a recommendation for a transportation agent with an MPCA identification number.

• 6

  Contact the transportation agent to pick up the tires. You may be billed a certain amount per tire; in certain counties, tractor tires can be disposed of in this way.

• 7

  Verify that the transporter has an MPCA ID card when they come to pick up the tires. Some tire transporters are not authorized by the MPCA, and they try to attract business by offering to take away the old tires at a price that's too good to be true.

• 8

  Verify that the tires and the load are properly secured to the vehicle; the transportation agent should be doing this as well, but it's always a good idea to double check this.

• 9

  Take the tire disposal certificate from the transportation agent, and file it. It will have the date of the shipment, and the number and type of tires, and the name and MPCA ID of the transport agent. It will also have the MPCA ID of the drop-off facility.