Recycling Guidelines

Blaine residents can recycle even more material at the curbside. It is now possible to recycle a great majority of commonly occurring household refuse. By doing so, residents can also save money. 

By recycling the many items that can now be recycled in the city's curbside recycling program, residents may be able to reduce the garbage container size and save money on their garbage bill. For more information about Blaine's recycling program, contact Kyle Howard.

Blaine's recycling program is funded in part through SCORE grant funds received from Anoka County.

Paper

Yes

All household paper including newspapers with all inserts, magazines, mail, phone books, paperboard, and corrugated cardboard. Cardboard should be cut up and placed in the recycling cart or flattened 3 feet by 3 feet square and bundled securely with string or twine. 

No

Used tissue products, or food soiled cardboard (pizza boxes, etc).

An assorted collection of paper, including magazines and mail.

Cartons

Yes

Milk cartons, juice boxes, soup, broth, and wine cartons are all acceptable. Leave lids on the containers.

No

Foil juice pouches or plastic lined coffee cups are not acceptable. Please remove plastic bags from inside wine cartons and place them in the garbage.

An assorted collection of milk and food cartons.

Aluminum, Tin & Steel

Yes 

You can recycle cans, bottles, foil (with no food residue), pie tins (with no food residue), and lids to containers that are three inches in diameter or larger. Lids to glass jars under three inches in diameter will not make it to a magnet to be properly sorted. Lids smaller than three inches in diameter have a better chance of making it to the magnet if they are left on the glass container.

No

Products that once contained hazardous materials such as paints, paint thinner, automotive fluids, or aerosol cans. Bottle caps are too small to make it to a magnet and will end up as a residual and should be placed in the garbage. Food-soiled aluminum trays, foil, and tins should also be placed in the garbage.

An assorted collection of aluminum cans.

Plastics

Yes

Food and beverage containers numbers 1, 2, and 5 are acceptable. Rinse and leave caps/lids on the containers.

No

Plastic bags, Styrofoam, compostable plastics, and plastic containers that once held hazardous material are not acceptable. Examples include motor oil, antifreeze, and transmission fluid. Plastic bags get caught in the machinery at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) where recyclables go to be sorted. Plastic bags can be recycled at many local grocery stores. Contact your local grocery store to see if they accept plastic bags for recycling.

An assorted collection of plastics, including a milk carton and soft drink bottle.

Glass

Yes

Sauce containers, beer, wine, and salad dressing containers are all acceptable. Metal lids to glass jars under three inches in diameter will not make it to a magnet to be properly sorted. Metal lids smaller than three inches in diameter have a better chance of making it to the magnet if they are left on the glass container.

No

Glass that does not contain a product when purchased that may contain strengthening additives or chemicals are not acceptable. If you cannot donate these items, place them in the garbage.


An assorted collection of glass jars and bottles.

Examples include:

  • Ceramics or pottery
  • Glass vases or decorative glass items
  • Mirrors
  • Pyrex containers
  • Whole or broken drinking glasses, plates, bowls, etc.
  • Window glass

Styrofoam

Expanded polystyrene foam products, more commonly known as Styrofoam, should be placed in the garbage.

Compostable Plastics Labeled Number 7 PLA 

Compostable plastics will break down in an industrial compost facility. They are corn based and cannot be recycled with traditional oil-based plastics.

Plastic Packaging Peanuts

Contact your local package shipment company or moving company to see if they will accept the peanuts for reuse.

Containers that contained hazardous materials, if empty, can be placed in the garbage.