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Image of family at a table enjoying a Thanksgiving meal together.

Reduce Food Waste this Holiday Season

320 million pounds of food will be wasted this Thanksgiving. According to ReFED, the amount of discarded food is equivalent to 267 million meals that could have gone to people in need. This year, have a plan for your leftovers! Plan to repurpose them into a new meal like sandwiches or soup, or freeze them to save for another time.

Food scraps that can’t be eaten (like bones, peels, and spoiled food) can be recycled into compost! Eligible residents can recycle food scraps from home through the Food Scraps Pickup Program. Learn more and sign up at FoodScrapsPickup.com or call 651-661-9393. 
Image of Environmental Center staff unloading holidays lights from a customer's vehicle.

Recycle Your Holiday Lights 

Holiday string lights are made with aluminum and copper which are valuable recyclables. But, lights and cords can get tangled on machinery at recycling processing facilities so they should NEVER be placed in your curbside recycling cart. Instead, bring them to a Washington County Environmental Center for recycling.

Locations and hours
Image of person dropping off leaves at the yard waste site.

Updates to North Yard Waste Site Hours 

We wanted to share a few reminders as we approach the winter months. 

  • As hours of darkness increase, the site will now close at dusk (20 minutes after sunset) on Mondays.
  • Beginning December 1, the North Yard Waste Site will reduce hours of operation. The site will close at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and be closed on Sundays. 

Learn more about yard waste disposal
Illustration of button batteries wearing mittens that says "Be a Battery Hero."

Be a Battery Hero!

If it lights up, makes noise or moves without a plug, it has a battery! Batteries thrown in the trash or recycling can catch fire and be hazardous to people and property. Some batteries also contain toxic metals, such as cadmium, lead or mercury, which can pose a threat to health and the environment.

Be a battery hero this holiday season! Put batteries in their place by taking them to a Washington County Environmental Center for free and safe disposal. 

Learn more about batteries

Please forward this e-mail to interested individuals and encourage them to sign up! Subscribe to the Environmental eUpdate at washingtoncountymn.gov.

More information: WashCoRecycles.com | 651-275-7475
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14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082
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