This webpage provides information about disposal facilities so local government decision-makers can review and plan their disposal options.
Floods, tornadoes, and even large building fires can generate large volumes of unexpected solid waste. To manage, sort, and dispose of this waste, a variety of temporary and permanent disposal facilities may be required.
Although the alternate disposal options for some items will differ from those normally available to you, the MPCA has determined that these temporary options will provide the flexibility and expediency needed to address this issue.
Disaster Response: Temporary transfer station (c-er3-81)- Disaster Response: Temporary transfer station presentation (c-er3-81a)
More solid waste contact information is also available at MPCA's county environmental contacts webpage.
Waste categories for community pickup and disposal
If you have significant amounts of waste materials, you can help the collection efforts by separating your flood-damaged materials for community pickup and disposal as specified in the table below. Owners of damaged vehicles should personally arrange for their disposal.
Table 1. Waste categories for community pickup and disposal
| Category | Disposal option |
| Demolition debris, building materials, and concrete | Demolition landfill |
| Municipal waste, such as food, paper, clothing, household furniture, household waste, trash and asbestos waste. | Sanitary landfill |
| Hazardous waste (commercial or household) | Household hazardous waste collection facility |
| Tree and brush waste | Compost facility |
| Appliances (white goods) and electronics, including washers, dryers, dishwashers, furnaces, microwave ovens, water heaters, televisions and computers | Appliance and electronics recycling/disposal site |
| Oil-soaked absorbent pads and other special wastes | Local designated collection |
Waste categories for residential items
The table below lists common household items and their waste categories. These categories may become less restrictive if a major flood, tornado, or other natural disaster occurs. If that happens, additional guidance will be issued.
Table 2. Temporary solid waste categories for residential items
| Item | Solid waste category |
| Air conditioners | Appliances |
| Appliances, portable (e.g., toasters, hotplates, heaters) | Municipal waste |
| Books, magazines (not recyclable) | Municipal waste |
| Cardboard (not recyclable) | Municipal waste |
| Carpeting (if remaining in demolished building) | Demolition waste |
| Carpeting (if removed and placed separately for disposal) | Municipal waste |
| Clothes dryers, washing machines | Appliances |
| Clothing | Municipal waste |
| Concrete | Demolition waste |
| Food | Municipal waste |
| Freezers | Appliances |
| Furnaces | Appliances |
| Furniture | Municipal waste |
| Household pesticides, paints, stains, etc. | Household hazardous waste |
| Insulation (non-asbestos) | Demolition waste |
| Lumber (treated) | Municipal waste |
| Lumber (untreated) | Demolition waste |
| Microwave ovens | Appliances |
| Powdered detergent | Municipal waste |
| Refrigerators | Appliances |
| Sheetrock, wallboard | Demolition waste |
| Stereos, radios | Municipal waste |
| Stoves | Appliances |
| Televisions, computers | Appliances or Electronics |
| Window glass | Demolition waste |
Disposal facilities and transfer stations
Use this interactive map to locate disposal facilities or transfer stations in your area that accept waste.
Some counties may have established special procedures and/or temporary storage sites to accommodate the large volumes of damaged materials generated by a natural disaster. So, contact your local emergency operations center (EOC) or solid waste office for disposal facility locations if you plan to haul the flood-damaged materials yourself.
For specific information
Contact your local EOC or your county’s solid waste office. If you don't know the phone number for your local contact, call the MPCA office nearest to you:
- Brainerd: 218-828-2492
- Detroit Lakes: 218-847-1519
- Duluth: 218-723-4660
- Mankato: 507-389-5977
- Marshall: 507-537-7146
- Rochester: 507-285-7343
- St. Paul: 651-296-6300
- All offices can be reached toll-free at 1-800-657-3864