Minneapolis trash & bulky-item rules

Minneapolis includes collection of up to two large items each week for properties with City garbage service. The item’s material determines the collection stream: ordinary non-recyclable furniture goes on garbage day, while appliances, electronics, mattresses and other recyclable large items go out on the property’s recycling week.

Check the carts before relying on these rules. If the property uses dumpsters or carts from a private hauler, it does not have the City large-item service described here.

Have large items out by 6 a.m. on pickup day. Attach a visible note to each item reading “For Solid Waste.” The City warns that unmarked items may not be collected.

Do not break down ordinary furniture just to make it smaller; crews can mistake disassembled furniture for prohibited building material.

Garbage-day large items include wood tables, plastic items, wood/upholstered furniture and normal couches. A standard couch must be less than 6 feet long; hide-a-bed couches and recliners instead use the recycling-week route.

Carpet/rug rolls must be under 5 feet long, under 12 inches in diameter and under 40 pounds. Roll and tie them securely with rope, twine or tape—never wire.

Set recyclable large items out on the normal recycling day. Crews record the items and a separate collection vehicle generally returns the next business day. Leave the items and their City sticker/sign in place until collected.

This stream includes mattresses/box springs, hide-a-beds/recliners, refrigerators/freezers, air conditioners, microwaves, ovens, dishwashers, dryers, washing machines, televisions, computers and monitors. Refrigerator/freezer doors must be removed. Mattresses should stay as dry as possible because waterlogged or frozen mattresses can become too heavy to recycle.

Tires, auto parts, building material, dirt/soil, railroad ties and household hazardous waste are not ordinary curbside large items. City garbage customers can instead request South Transfer Station vouchers in advance.

Each eligible property receives up to six cleanup vouchers per year; each voucher covers up to 2,000 pounds of qualifying household garbage/C&D debris plus up to two large recyclable items. The property also receives up to two tire vouchers, each good for up to 8 tires with or without rims.

Paint, chemicals, batteries, automotive fluids and other household hazardous materials use Hennepin County’s HHW/recycling facilities rather than curbside large-item collection. The County operates major drop-off facilities in Bloomington and Brooklyn Park with current item-specific rules.

For Minneapolis, start with the local authority links below. Recheck them before a special trip or unusual set-out because programs, prices and facility hours can change.

• Minneapolis Large Item CollectionTwo items weekly, labeling, couch/carpet rules, recycling-week appliances/electronics/mattresses and refrigerator-door rule.
• Minneapolis Garbage VouchersSix cleanup vouchers, two tire vouchers and advance-request requirement.
• Minneapolis Drop-Off Items & FeesSouth Transfer Station location, hours and pay-per-use rules.
• Hennepin County Green Disposal GuideHHW and specialty disposal routes for excluded material.