Helping rural residents get rid of stuff the right way

Dakota County will host another Rural Cleanup Day summer 2023 — more information will be provided closer to the event.

Use the online Recycling Guide at www.dakotacounty.us, search recycling guide to know the best way to get rid of your stuff.

124 participating households

22,880 total pounds collected

Dakota County offers rural residents an opportunity to drop off nontraditional recyclables such as mattresses, tires and more during the annual Rural Cleanup Day. The most recent event was held at the county’s Empire Maintenance Facility in Rosemount.

Residents who live in the county’s 13 townships and the cities of Coates, Hampton, Miesville, New Trier, Randolph and Vermillion can participate. This event gives rural residents who can’t take part in city-hosted cleanup days a way to get rid of large items.

In 2022, mattresses and box springs, confidential documents for shredding, cardboard and tires were accepted. A $25 fee was collected for each mattress or box spring — each household received a postcard with a $10 coupon to help offset the cost.

462 tires — 10,160 pounds

1,400 pounds of confidential documents for shredding

212 pounds of cardboard as they want. The county supplies every group with materials needed to host a safe and efficient cleanup event. In 2022, our teams filled more than 950 bags of garbage.

Most roads in the urban and suburban parts of Dakota County are currently adopted, but there are some roads in the rural areas still available for adoption. While they don’t experience traffic and congestion, these roadways are still important to keep clean since many of them are in environmentally important areas, including the Cannon River and Vermillion River watersheds. Adding more volunteer teams to the Adopt-a-Highway program will help us clear more roadside areas of trash.

Items were sent to local recycling facilities, and gently used mattresses and box springs were donated to Bridging, a nonprofit that supports people in need.

Visit www.dakotacounty.us and search adopt a highway to see what sections of road are available near you.

Every piece of trash collected helps keep our outdoor spaces clean.

106 mattresses and box springs — 11,120 pounds