The recycling process

The City contracts with Eureka Recycling to sort the recycling we pick up from your home. At its facility, sorters remove items that should not have been put in your recycling cart. They then sort the recyclables into 15 different categories and compress them into bales. Eureka sends the bales to companies that turn them into new products.

Interesting facts

• 69% of your recyclables are made into new products in Minnesota.
• 95% of your recyclables stay in the upper Midwest.
• 99% of your recyclables stay in North America.

About tours

These tours are for City of Minneapolis residents only.

If you live in another City, are interested in a tour for your business or school, or have a group larger than 10 people, contact Eureka Recycling directly to schedule a tour.

In-person tour logistics

Please review the following tour requirements and logistics before signing up to attend an in-person tour.

Location

• Eureka Recycling is located at 2828 Kenney Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. Residents should plan to arrive ten minutes before the scheduled tour time to park and be at the Education Center when the tour starts.

Safety 

• In-person tours are limited to 10 people. If less than four people sign up, an in-person tour may be cancelled or switched to a virtual tour. 
• Must be at least 12 years old.
• Accessibility. Tour members will experience several sets of stairs, unlevel or slippery walking surfaces, and a loud environment for the entirety of the tour. 

Clothing / attire

• Shoes. Wear sturdy, flat, comfortable shoes that completely enclose the toes and heels to protect your feet. No heels, crocks or shoes with openings.
  • There's a lot of loose material and crushed glass at the site. 
• Clothing. Avoid loose, flowy clothing that could get caught on machinery.
  • Long sleeves and pants are preferable to protect against recycling material on the ground.
  • Wear clothing that's ok to get a little dirty. There is a lot of dust in the facility from all of the paper.
• Personal protective equipment. Safety glasses, hard hats, high-visibility vests will be provided for tour attendees. Attendees will also wear a headset to hear and follow along with the tour guide.

Tour length

• Tours are approximately 1.5 hours long with about 1 hour going through the recycling process itself and half an hour allocated for questions and discussion. 
• After you sign up you will receive an email with a calendar invite with additional information for your virtual or in-person tour.

Cancellations

• Please accept the calendar invite and/or make sure your time is on your schedule. Tours are very limited and there's always high demand.
• If you need to cancel, please let us know as soon as you can so we can offer the spot to someone on the wait list.

Tour dates

2024 tours

X indicates which type of tour is planned for that date.

Spaces will be marked as Full when no more spots remain.

Contact the Recycling Coordinator to sign up