
Mail-In Recycling Business Experimenting With Rural Minnesota Service
Are you environmentally conscious enough to pay to recycle in Minnesota? A Seattle-based company is now experimenting with rural recycling subscriptions in Minnesota.
Ridwell Offering Mail-In Recycle Subsriptions
Here's how it works. The company Ridwell offers subscriptions for people to mail in those hard-to-recycle items. They send you bags (number depending on your subscription). You fill those bags with hard-to-recycle items. They pick it up from your door and then it's recycled or reused by their partners to ensure it's an eco-friendly process.
Items they accept:
Ridwell takes everyday household items that you can't recycle curbside. Those things include:
- Household batteries
- Lightbulbs
- Flat plastic lids
- Clothes, Shoes, and Textiles
- Plastic Film
- Food storage bags, pet food bags, frozen food bags, and other multi-layer plastics
- Plastic Camshell Containers, like for fresh produce.
How much does it cost?
Project Optimist says pricing is in tiers. A basic subscription costs $14 per month, a middle subscription is $18 a month, and the most expensive option is $24 a month. That option offers an unlimited plan with extra bags and no additional fee.

Currently available in Twin Cities Metro With Plans To Expand
Ridwell right now serves about 8,000 customers in the Twin Cities Metro area. Those items are picked up at homes and brought to a facility in St. Paul for sorting.
Possible Rural Expansion
The company says they're working on testing a rural option for people who live outside the service area can mail in their recyclables. Keep following for more updates on this new business.
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Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
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