Recycling

Free Electronic Recycling Event for RFMU customers*

Electronics Recycling webimageSaturday, April 17, 2021
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Public Works Garage, 950 Benson St., River Falls


This is a contactless event, so please remain inside your vehicle while staff unload items for recycling. Additionally, should you need to roll down your window to speak to staff, you are requested to wear a mask. Customers are limited to one trip for the event.

*Please bring a form of identification and a copy of your recent RFMU bill.

RFMU's Annual Electronics Recycling Customer Event Map ElectronicsRecyclingEventMap2021

For more details:
RFMU’s Annual Electronics Recycling Customer Event Flyer

Questions? Contact Mike Noreen, Conservation and Efficiency Coordinator, at 715-426-3467 or mnoreen@rfcity.org.

Acceptable items:

  • Ballasts
  • Batteries
  • Cables and wires
  • Cell phones
  • Computers
  • Dehumidifiers
  • DVD players
  • Electric motors
  • Holiday lights
  • Keyboards
  • Laptops
  • Lightbulbs and linear fluorescents
  • Modems
  • Monitors
  • MP3 players
  • Printers
  • Scanners
  • Shredders
  • Stereos 
  • TVs
  • Video cameras

Unacceptable items:

  • Appliances
  • Carpet cleaners
  • Refrigerators
  • Vacuums


Acceptable Items for Weekly Recycling Pickup

Place the following items together in your recycling cart, they do not have to be separated:

  • Aseptic packaging (milk cartons, juice boxes, etc.)
  • Cardboard
  • Colored and clear bottles and jars
  • Magazines
  • Newspaper
  • Plastics, Number 1 to 5 and Number 7 (Number 6 not recyclable) 
  • Steel and aluminum cans

Other Items to Recycle

  • Compact Florescent Bulbs (CFLs): River Falls Municipal Utility offers free recycling of all CFLs.
  • Plastic Grocery Bags: Family Fresh and Dicks IGA both offer plastic bag recycling bins between their sets of front doors.
  • Medications: The River Falls Police Department accepts prescription medications. Please remove the medication from bottles and place in a baggie. The following items ARE accepted:
    • Prescription and non-prescription pills
    • Patches
    • Vitamins
    • Ointments
    • Pet Medications
  • The following items ARE NOT accepted:
    • Medications from businesses or clinics
    • Lotions
    • Liquids
    • Sharps
    • Aerosol cans
    • Inhalers
    • Thermometers
    • IV bags
  • The Pierce County Sheriff's Department and the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department also accept prescription medications.
  • Tires: Most places that sell tires will also recycle them; otherwise, they can be brought to spring or fall cleanup for a fee.

Information about recycling cell phones, batteries, eyeglasses, and much more can be found on the St. Croix County Recycling Website.

Rules & Preparation Guidelines

  • Do not use plastic bags, items should be placed in the container "loose". 
  • Large cardboard should be flattened and folded or cut into pieces not larger that 2 by 2 feet in size and placed next to or underneath the recycling bin.
  • All recycling must be placed curbside for collection on the same day as your garbage service.
  • Labels do not need to be removed.
  • Rinse containers to produce less than 5% food debris.
  • Keep caps on bottles, jars, and other containers. 

Non-Recyclable Items

  • Aerosol cans
  • Bathroom wastepaper
  • Ceramics
  • Christmas wrapping paper
  • Dishes
  • Food-contaminated packaging
  • Gasoline containers
  • Hazardous waste containers
  • Mirrors
  • Packaging material
  • Paint cans
  • Paper and plastic cups
  • Plate or window glass
  • Pottery

Note: Food-contaminated packaging is defined as items that cannot be cleaned to 5% food debris, i.e., pizza boxes.