Recycling & Garbage Information

General Information

Each dwelling unit is billed for garbage and recycling, and requires a recycling cart with a yellow lid. The containers are the property of the City of North Mankato and remain with the property, please do not take them with you when you move.

Valet service is available for a monthly charge of $10.00 per cart. Carts must be outside and visible. The collection agency will pull the carts to the street, empty and return. To sign up please call City Hall at 625-4141.

Recyclables are collected every other week on the same day as garbage and should be set out before 6:00 a.m. on the day of pickup. If your items are missed, please call West Central Sanitation at 1-800-246-7630.

Carts must be placed 3 feet from any obstacle including the other cart. (This includes buildings, trees, vehicles, etc.) Recycling materials must be placed inside the recycling cart. You may mark your cart, with your address so if it blows away, it can be returned. Please refer to the map and calendar for the Recycle Pickup Schedule. The schedule may be found at the bottom of this page.

Note: Some rental units have dumpster service and not curbside garbage or recycling pickup.

New Residents: If a different sized cart for garbage or recycling is desired, please call City Hall.

If you move: Carts are the property of the City of North Mankato and must be left with the property.

2023 Garbage & Recycling Calendar

Effective the week of October 31, 2022:

In partnership with the City of North Mankato, West Central Sanitation is adjusting trash and recycling collection service days to control costs.

Service day adjustments will begin the week of October 31^st. Please watch your mail for additional information specific to your address. Service days will adjust to a 3-day pick up on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, and pick up times will begin at 4:00 a.m. Please have your carts to the curb the night before your collection day. Recycling will remain an every-other-week service. Please note, some residents will receive an additional recycling pick up date on November 2^nd to avoid a three-week gap in service. Affected residents will be notified of this service in their mailer. Questions may be directed to West Central Sanitation at 1-800-246-7630.

Please find the updated 2022 Garbage & Recycling Calendar here: 2022 Garbage & Recycling Calendar

Recycling Items Collected

Newspapers & Newspaper Inserts
Magazines & Catalogs
All Junk Mail & Envelopes
Cardboard (Flatten the boxes)
Office & School Papers
Phone Books
Cereal & Cracker-Type Boxes
Aluminum & Tin Cans
Glass Bottles & Jars
Plastic Bottles #1 thru #7
Milk Cartons, Juice Boxes & Other Paper Cartons
Recycling is a single sort system, which means all items may be co-mingled and DO NOT need to be separated.

Items Not Collected for Recycling

No Trash
No Food Tainted Items (Used Paper Plates, Towels or Napkins)
No Yard Waste
No Styrofoam
No Propane Tanks
No Batteries
No Light Bulbs or Mirrors
No Hazardous Waste Containers (Motor Oil, Paint Cans, Antifreeze)

Recycling Center

Forget to put out your recycling container? The Riverbend Recycling Center is located at 600 Webster Avenue and is open Monday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m., with 24-hour drop-off available. For more information, please call the Riverbend Recycling Center at 625-8632.

The Center accepts at no charge:

Newspaper
Cans
Plastic
Glass
Office paper
Magazines
Phone books
Cardboard

The Center accepts for a small charge:

Car batteries
Electronics (TV's, computers, etc.)
Appliances
Fluorescent light bulbs (North Mankato residents only may take their used bulbs to Recycling Center. Be prepared to show ID.)

The following types of glass are NOT recyclable:

Mirrors
Windows
Light bulbs
Ceramics
Dinnerware
Glassware
Clay pots
Crystal
China, etc.

Brush/Compost

The compost site is located behind the Riverbend Recycling Center at 600 Webster Ave. The site is available to North Mankato residents only. Please take your brush and yard clipping to this site. Wood chips and compost are available there free of charge. Be prepared to show ID.

The Compost Site at 600 Webster Ave. is now closed for the winter effective Monday, December 5th. The site will be available by appointment only until it reopens in the spring of 2023 when weather permits. It will also be available by appointment for disposal of real Christmas trees after the holiday. To schedule an appointment, please call 507-514-6484.

Curbside Garbage and Recycling Schedule

Tuesday:
- Valley (Lower) North Mankato: From Hwy 169 to east side of Sherman St., and south of Butterworth St. to north side of Garfield Ave.
Wednesday:
- Valley (Lower) North Mankato: From south side of Garfield Ave. to Hwy 169 and west side of Sherman St. to Lake St.
- Hilltop (Upper) North Mankato: South of Hwy 14 and east side of Lookout Dr. and Commerce Ln. and south of Pleasant View Dr. and Dream Dr.
Friday:
- Hilltop (Upper) North Mankato: West of Lookout Dr. and Commerce Ln. and north of Pleasant View Dr. and Dream Dr. and north of Hwy 14.

Garbage is picked up weekly. Recycling is picked up every other week. Please refer to the map and calendar for the Recycling Pickup Schedule.

Holiday Collection Schedule

When a holiday falls on a business day, each subsequent collection day will be delayed one day. For example - If New Year's Day is on a Tuesday, your collection day moves to the next day, Wednesday through Saturday. NOTE: while Monday is not a collection day (Wednesday through Saturday).

The contractor is not required to collect garbage or recyclables on the following holidays:

New Year's Day
Memorial Day
4th of July
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

Household Hazardous Waste Information

If you have old paint, cleaners, furniture strippers or other hazardous products in your home that need to be disposed of, they should be taken to the Regional Household Hazardous Waste Center located at 651 Summit Avenue, Mankato (just off of Third Avenue). The Hazardous Waste Center is for ANY resident of Blue Earth, Nicollet, LeSueur, and Sibley, Counties. Proof of residency must be shown upon arrival.

The Household Hazardous Waste Center is open April through October, Tuesdays from Noon to 6:00 p.m., Wednesdays & Thursdays from noon to 4:00 p.m., and the 2nd Saturday of each month from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Residents may drop off waste during open hours without an appointment.

Products should be in their original containers, if possible, with labels attached. Examples of items accepted include paints, stains, household cleaners, automotive products, batteries, and yard/garden chemicals. There is no fee for this service. For more information and a complete list of what is accepted, please call The Regional Household Hazardous Waste Center for more information and a complete list of what is accepted, visit our website at www.blueearthcountymn.gov/373/Household-Hazardous-Waste-HHW-Facility/HHW or call Property & Environmental Resources at (507) 304-4251.

If you need a product: The site has a product exchange for people who want free paint, household cleaners or other items.

Click here to download a coupon for any size TV or large appliance to the GreenTech Recycling Center (205 W. Spring St.) in Mankato.

Items Collected

Bug sprays
Oven & window cleaners
Brake fluid
Fuel oil & motor oil
Paint & paint thinner
Herbicides
Button batteries
Weed killer
Aerosol cans that aren't empty
Any household item that has "corrosive, caustic, reactive, flammable, toxic or poisonous" warnings on them.