SPECIAL WASTES:
The following materials are required by Minnesota State Law to be recycled. In most cases, citizens must pay to recycle these items. Charges may vary with the place of business and type of material.
-
TIRES: Most tire dealers accept tires for recycling. Tires may also be recycled at the Steele County Landfill for a fee.
-
VEHICLE BATTERIES: Businesses that sell automotive (lead acid) batteries accept used batteries for recycling.
-
USED MOTOR OIL AND MOTOR OIL FILTERS: Steele County has two tanks for used oil which may be used by the public free of charge: one at the Steele County Landfill and another at the Steele County Recycling Center off State Ave & Cty. Rd 45 in Owatonna. Full service auto centers often accept used oil as well. Many places that sell oil filters accept them for recycling for a fee.
-
MAJOR APPLIANCES: These are accepted for recycling at the Steele County Recycling Center, the Steele County Landfill and by many appliance dealers. Some garbage haulers accept appliances for recycling as well.
-
FLUORESCENT LAMPS: Hardware stores accept fluorescent bulbs for recycling for a small fee, as does The Retrofit Companies (TRC) on Hwy. 14 in Owatonna.
-
RECHARGEABLE HOUSHOLD BATTERIES: While disposable batteries (e.g. AA, AAA, C, 9 Volt) may be disposed in household garbage, rechargeable batteries are required to be recycled once they no longer hold a charge. Many retail stores accept rechargeable batteries for recycling free of charge, such as Radio Shack, hardware stores, Lowe’s, Target and Wal-Mart. Ask at the Service Counter.
-
ELECTRONIC GOODS(computers and TVs and other video display devices): The Retrofit Companies (TRC) and the Steele County/Waste Management Recycling Center, both in Owatonna, and the Steele County Landfill near Blooming Prairie recycle these for various fees. It is illegal for residents-as well as businesses-to dispose of TV sets, computer monitors or any electronic with a video display in a Minnesota landfill.
All Best Buy stores also accept electronics for recycling from consumers. Go to www.bestbuy.com/recycling
Household Hazardous Wastes - 2020 Flyer
Many common household products, such as paints, solvents, cleaning products, adhesives, mercury and pesticides can be hazardous to humans, animals and the environment when improperly disposed. Steele Country works with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Rice County to provide a safe place for residents to dispose of household chemicals. Residents may also bring usable hazardous products to these facilities where they will be placed on shelves for others to take home for use free of charge.
Due to COVID-19 and CDC recommendations for distancing, the following
operation measures will be implemented.
Product Drop:
Product drop-off only, no shopping for reuse product
Customers are responsible for unloading their vehicles
Large pickup and trailer loads by appointment only, please call ahead
Please be prepared to wait
Steele County Household Hazardous Waste Facility
(no charge for Steele County residents to use)
Phone: Landfill 507-583-7766 Recycling Hotline 507-451-5443
Location: Steele County Landfill Hwy. 218 near Bixby
(approximately 12 miles south of Owatonna)
Open: May through September
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays
9 a.m. to noon first and third Saturdays and by appointment
Rice County Household Hazardous Waste Facility
(no charge for Steele County residents to use)
Phone: Rice County Recycling Center 507-332-6833
Open: Year round Location: Rice County Recycling Center
(1 mile east of Hwy. 3 between Faribault and Northfield)
Hours: 7:30 - 3:30 Monday through Friday
7:30 - 11:30 2nd Saturday/November through March
7:30 - 11:30 2nd and 4th Saturdays/April through October
Hazardous wastes from businesses which generate small quantities of wastes (VSQG)
Businesses which generate 220 pounds or less of hazardous waste per month may dispose of their wastes by bringing them to either the Rice County Hazardous Waste Facility near Faribault or the Olmsted County Hazardous Waste Facility in Rochester. Although businesses will be charged for the disposal costs, it is typically much cheaper for a business to use one of these facilities than to work directly with a hazardous waste contractor. For more information on the programs for VSQG wastes, call the Rice County Facility at 507-332-6833 or the Olmsted County Facility at 507-281-6222.