Garbage & Recycling

The cart must be at the curb by 6 a.m. with the handle facing your home. The lid must be closed. Make sure to leave three feet of space around the cart from all obstacles, including mailboxes, other carts, vehicles, and trees. Containers must be placed two feet behind the curb, either in a driveway or the boulevard, not in the roadway. For cart changes or missed pickups, please call ERMU at 763.441.2020.

Contact Republic Services directly at 320.252.9608 for any items that will not fit in your regular garbage cart.

Do not dispose of the following items in your garbage container: tires, automobile batteries, motor oil, oil-based paints, construction materials, appliances, yard waste, human waste, or any hazardous waste. Not sure what to do with these items? Contact the city’s Environmental Services department at 763.635.1000 for a list of local recyclers and the items they accept.

Call the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 1.800.450.6140. For more information on local collection events, contact the Sherburne County Zoning Department at 763.765.4457.

Yard waste may be disposed of at the City of Elk River Maintenance Facility Compost Site located at 19000 Proctor Road. Sherburne County residents can obtain a FREE non-expiring access card at City Hall or online.

Single-sort recycling allows residents to place all recyclable materials in one cart, with no sorting or separating needed. All materials should be loose in the cart with no plastic bags. Recycling is picked up every other week on the same day as the garbage collection. The week of collection will depend on location and hauler. To determine your week, view our territory map and select service based on your location or contact us at 763.441.2020.

The City of Elk River now offers a free, voluntary drop-off program for organics recycling, a convenient way to recycle food scraps and other items. Drop-offs are located at Elk River City Hall and the Elk River Compost Site. To sign up for the program and request complimentary compostable bags, contact the City of Elk River's Environmental Department at 763.635.1000.

In December 2020, Randy's Environmental Services was acquired by Republic Services. They now operate as "Randy's Sanitation, a Republic Services Company." Customers who previously used the Randy’s schedule for Red week pickups can now refer to the Republic Services Gray schedule. Customers who previously used Randy’s schedule for Blue week pickups can now refer to the Republic Services Blue schedule.

• Republic Services Blue
• Republic Services Gray

Take the guesswork out of garbage and recycling with the Recycle Coach app. Your personalized calendar can tell you whether it’s your recycling week or if there are any changes because of a holiday, and it will send those reminders directly to your phone. Recycle Coach also provides accurate disposal information for thousands of household items, with drop-off locations in your community, so you can be a better recycler! Learn more about the recycle coach.

If your scheduled collection is on or after an official holiday (in the same week), your service will be delayed one day. A holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday will not affect the service schedule. Official holidays include New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Please contact us for additional information about garbage and recycling services.