The City of Mendota Heights is committed
to protecting the environment and reducing, reusing and recycling waste
materials generated in our community.
The city and the Dakota County Environmental Education
Department annually co-sponsor a Wetland Health Evaluation Team with
the Dakota County Environmental Education Department. The team samples
and documents the plant, frog and invertebrate (insect) communities
found in local wetlands following techniques developed by the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency. Volunteers collect samples from five wetlands
between June and August, analyze the samples collected and complete
data sheets.
All residents and businesses in the community are required
to contract for waste collection. All trash haulers must provide weekly
curbside recycling service.
For information regarding city and county recycling
and environmental programs, contact the city's Recycling Coordinator,
Jake Sedlacek, at 651-452-1850 or the Dakota County Environmental
Management Department at 952-891-7020.
Recyclable Materials
Recycling Containers
Garbage Collection
Composting
Household Hazardous Waste
Free Electronics Recycling
Recyclable Materials
Recycling is an important way for all of us to protect
our environment and conserve our resources. Following is a list of items
that should be recycled. They can be set out at your curb in your recycling
bin for collection by your trash hauler.
• Glass bottles and jars. Food and beverage bottles
and jars only. They must be clear, green or brown. Remove caps, rinse
and place in a paper grocery sack inside your recycling bin. No drinking
glasses, ceramics, window glass, glass cookware or glass mirrors.
• Plastic bottles with a neck. Rinse clean and place in a paper
grocery sack. Throw away caps, pumps and rings
• Newspaper, mixed mail, magazines and catalogs. Place in a paper
grocery sack in your recycling bin.
• Aluminum and steel cans. Rinse clean and place in a paper grocery
sack in your recycling bin.
• Corrugated cardboard. Must be broken down into bundles and tied.
No waxy or glossy cardboard, pizza boxes or 12/24 pack boxes.
Recycling and careful buying can reduce the amount
of waste, packaging and garbage from your home.
Recycling Containers
Recycling bins are available at City Hall. There
is no fee for the first bin issued for a residence. Recycling containers
belong to the city and should be left at a residence when property owners
move. For a fee of $6.00 residents can purchase a new bin to replace
one that has been lost, damaged or stolen.
Garbage Collection
All Mendota Heights residents and businesses are
required to have proper refuse disposal. Mendota Heights has an open
hauling refuse system which means that residents and businesses contract
directly with a licensed refuse hauler. For a list of licensed haulers
click here.
Composting
Every year, the average family in Dakota County
throws away as much as 300 lbs. of organic materials. This discarded
material is more than 25% of their total garbage and it consists of
82% food waste and 18% yard waste.
One of the richest resources of soil and garden fertilizer
is available to you at little or no cost. Composting is a practical
and convenient way to handle some food wastes and your yard wastes.
It can be easier and cheaper than bagging these wastes and in some cases,
paying to have them removed. If you have a garden, a lawn, trees, shrubs
or even planter boxes, you have a use for compost.
Improving your soil is the first step toward improving
the health of your yard plants. Healthy plants help clean our air, conserve
our soil, and protect our water, and beautify our landscapes. Compost
returns organic matter to the soil in a usable form. Organic matter
in the soil improves plant growth by:
• Aiding better root growth by loosening up heavy soils
• Adding essential nutrients to any soil
• Adding fine particles to course soils that improve the water
holding capacity
What are the size requirements for a compost bin?
Composting must be conducted within an enclosed container(s) not to
exceed:
1. A total of 100 cubic feet in volume for city lots of 10,000 square
feet or less.
2. A total of 150 cubic feet in volume for city lots greater than 10,000
square feet.
Where should compost bins be located?
The compost bin should be located in the rear yard placed no closer
than 30 feet to any habitable building, 20 feet from the street on a
corner lot and at least 5 feet from the side/rear yard lines.
What material should be used to make a compost bin?
Containers should be of durable material such as: wood, plastic, fiber
glass and metal fencing materials.
What can be placed in a compost bin?
Only Organic Waste, including Food and Yard Waste, wood, ash, straw,
and commercially available compost ingredients to accelerate composting
may be place in the compost container.
What cannot be placed in a compost bin?
Meat, bones, whole eggs, dairy products, unshredded branches or logs,
weeds heavily loaded with seeds, plastic, synthetic fiber, human or
pet wastes, diseased plants and any other Mixed Municipal Solid Waste.
How should the compost bin be maintained?
Compost bins should be properly managed to minimize odor generation
and promote effective decomposition of the material.
Household Hazardous Waste
Mendota Heights residents may bring household hazardous waste to the
Dakota County Eco-Site, located at 3365 Highway 149 in Eagan. The Eco-Site
is open:
• Wednesdays, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The materials listed below are accepted
from Dakota County residents only. You will be required to show your
driver's license as proof of residence when dropping items off at the
site.
| Aerosols |
Mercury thermometers |
Weed Killer |
| Antifreeze |
Pesticides |
Latex/oil paint |
| Auto batteries |
Propane tanks |
Lawn and Garden products |
| Fluorescent lights |
Household Cleaners |
Gas cylinders |
| Tires (for a fee) |
Thermostats |
Used oil/filters |
| Most products labeled
dangerous, flammable, poison, combustible, corrosive |
For your safety, please place household hazardous
waste products in a box when transporting. Product contents should be
labeled and in the original package. Never mix or pour your household
hazardous wastes together!
Free Electronics Recycling
Dakota County accepts electronics free of charge at the Eco-Site
On May 8, 2007, Governor Pawlenty signed a new law for the
collection and recycling of video display devices sold to
households/consumers: televisions, computer monitors, and laptop
computers. Proper recycling of electronics is crucial to maintaining a
healthy environment. Many electronics contain cathode ray tubes or
circuit boards, which contain toxic materials such as lead or mercury.
While these toxins are not a problem when using the devices, they can
create environmental problems if they are thrown in with regular
garbage. Free electronics recycling helps ensure the proper disposal of
harmful materials. Since the passage of this law, several options have
become available for citizens to properly dispose of electronic devices.
The Dakota County Eco-Site in Eagan began offering free recycling of
household electronics on Sept. 19. business electronics are also
accepted for a fee.
The Dakota County Eco-Site is located at 3365 S. Highway 149 (Dodd Road)
in Eagan. For more details, visit
www.dakotacounty.us
and search for Eco-Site, or call 651-905-4520.
Recycling Area and the Household Hazardous Waste Area days and hours
of operation:
Recycling Area Hours:
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Household Hazardous Waste Area Hours:
Wednesday: 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Several private businesses are also collecting household electronics for
no charge – an updated list can be found on the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency (MPCA) website at
www.pca.state.mn.us.
Information from Dakota County Environmental Management and MPCA.
