Your garbage hauler is required to provide you with a recycling bin or cart and information on what can be recycled. Contact them with questions and for service updates.

When recycling in public spaces, make sure you put plastic bags in the trash, not the recycling bin! Plastic bags need special recycling facility (like the Carver County Environmental Center in Chaska). Otherwise, they get caught in the sorting machines and result in fines for the city.

 Don't take our word for it—watch this PSA from local hero, The Recycler!

Want more? Check out more of our caped crusader on our YouTube channel.

Paper Shredding Events

Have old documents lying around that need shredding? Visit one of our two free community paper shredding events! 

Participants can bring up to four bags or boxes of paper documents to be shredded on-site. Only paper is accepted. We do not take cardboard, 3-ring binders, or plastic materials (DVDs, CDs, floppy disks, flash drives, etc.).

You must be able to lift and carry each bag or box. There is no cost, and the event is open to the public.

The 2026 Paper Shredding Events have been scheduled.

Spring Paper Shredding Event
Chanhassen Public Works (7901 ParkPlace)
Saturday, May 16
9 a.m. -12 p.m.

Summer Paper Shredding Event
Chanhassen Rec Center (2310 Coulter Blvd)
Saturday, August 15
9 a.m. -12 p.m.

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Yard Waste Collection

Spring to Fall
Mondays and Fridays
7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Chanhassen Public Works

Click here for more information.

Location

(Near Chanhassen Public Works on the corner of Park Pl. and Park Rd.)
7900 Park Place
Chanhassen, MN 55317

Only flattened cardboard boxes are accepted at this location. No other materials are accepted.

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Most important things to keep in mind when bringing cardboard to the drop-off site:

1. Break down every piece of cardboard before putting it into the container. Not breaking down boxes results in lighter loads and higher shipping costs due to pick up rates and more containers being shipped.

2. Contamination (anything that isn't cardboard) can cause the entire load to be rejected and sent to the landfill, can damage equipment and be a safety risk to any employees that come into contact with the material.

For more information, visit the Carver County Recycling Drop-Off Site webpage.

Chanhassen Drop-Off Site

Carver County Environmental Services has installed a drop-off site for organics recycling outside of Feed My Starving Children. The dumpster is indicated with organics signage.

Carver County Drop-Off Site

Drop your organics off at the Carver County Environmental Center in Chaska.

List of Acceptable Items:

• Food scraps: fruit, vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, prepared food, eggshells
• Non-recyclable paper: tea bags, coffee filters, soiled pizza boxes, paper towels, napkins, popsicle sticks
• Other household items: cotton balls and swaps with paper stem, wooden chopsticks, toothpicks, tissues, hair and nail clippings

Unacceptable items:

• Yard waste
• Plastic bags
• Cleaning wipes or baby wipes
• Styrofoam
• Products labeled biodegradable, must be BPI Certified
• Fast food wrappers
• Frozen food boxes
• Shredded paper
• Popcorn bags 

For more information about their residential organics recycling services, click here.

Thanks to funding from an annual grant provided by Carver County, the city is able to send out $20 coupons that residents can use towards recycling materials at the Carver County Environmental Center. This year, the city has extra coupons available that can be picked up at the front desk at City Hall.

Coupons can be used to dispose of hard to recycle materials such as air conditioners, washer and dryers, microwaves, dehumidifiers, bikes, tires, mattresses, TV's and more. The price per item varies, so check out the brochure with a list of acceptable materials for more information.

Understanding which materials you can or can't recycle can be confusing. With the recycling market changes in recent years, it's more critical than ever to only include clean, recyclable materials in your cart and to stop 'wish-cycling' (throwing in items that you hope can be recycled). Below is a list of the top 10 most confusing items not recyclable in your curbside recycling cart. Remember, 'when in doubt, throw it out' and add only the right items to your recycling cart.

1. Plastic bags and plastic film. Never put plastic bags or film of any kind in your recycling. At the recycling center, they get caught in the equipment and can cause damage to the workers and machines. Many stores accept these for recycling. Please bring them back to the store the next time you visit.
2. Plastic produce and deli containers or take-out containers.
3. Pizza boxes with any food stains or grease. If you have a clean pizza box for recycling, fold it inside out so the recycling center can see it's clean inside.
4. Gift wrap. Most wrapping paper has dyes, metallics, glosses, and coatings that cannot be recycled.
5. Food residue and liquids. Clean and empty all of your food and beverage containers before recycling. Food residue can contaminate a whole load of recycling. Containers don't have to be perfectly clean, but there shouldn't be visible food and drinks left in them.
6. Receipts. Thermal cash register receipts contain Bisphenol A, aka BPA, a cancer-causing chemical. When these are included in recycling, they contaminate the recycled paper products that are produced.
7. To-Go Coffee Cups. Your Starbucks, Caribou, Mcdonald's, etc. cups must go into the trash with their lids. The inside of the cups are lined with plastic and cannot be recycled.
8. Broken crockery. Dishes, coffee mugs, mirrors, ceramics, etc., all contain different materials and have other melting points compared to recyclable glass and therefore belong in the trash.
9. Shredded paper. The bits and pieces of paper are too small to be usable by recycling equipment.
10. Diapers.

Recycling - There's an app for that!

Not sure if you can recycle that plastic container or cardboard box? There's an app for that! Betterbin is a one-stop shop for residential disposal information in Chanhassen and across Carver County. After downloading the app, you can choose your city and hauler and then scan the item's barcode or do a text search for specific instructions from your hauler as to whether it's recyclable or garbage. Download the app in the App Store or Google Play or access the app on the web at betterbin.app/login

Carver County Environmental Center

Visit the Carver County Environmental Center's website, which includes the items they collect, fees (if applicable), and directions to their facility at 116 Peavey Circle in Chaska.

Spring Cleaning

There are lots of charities that will reuse various items you no longer need. Do an internet search for your particular item using 'MN (item category) donation,' you'll discover multiple organizations interested in receiving your usable goods.

Cars

There are a variety of charities that accept car donations. Just a few of the local non-profits include:

• Vehicles for Veterans
• Kars for Kids
• MN Public Radio
• Vietnam Veterans

Furniture, Small Home Goods, etc.

Local charities that accept usable, clean items include:

• CAP Agency
• Freshwater Furniture Depot
• Bridging
• Goodwill

Office Supplies, Working Computers

• CAP agency

Pet Items

Carver Scott Humane Society accepts clean rags, towels, leashes, unused litter, and pet food.