Holiday Waste

Every holiday season brings its own types of waste. From pumpkins to string lights and Christmas trees. Here’s how residents of Dakota County can responsibly dispose of holiday items to protect the environment, follow State rules and conserve resources.

Pumpkins, gourds and Jack-O-Lanterns should not go in your regular trash. Instead, use these free resources to compost them.

Place them in your curbside yard waste pickup bin.
Bring them to the Yard-Waste and Construction Debris Drop-Off.
Add them to your backyard compost bin.
Bring them to our annual Pumpkin Collection event. The 2025 collection event is Saturday, November 1 through Sunday, November 2 at the Dakota County Highway Shop (900 County Rd 47). All pumpkins brought to this event are brought to Ries Farm and used for hog food.

Remember to remove any candles, wax, or non-pumpkin material before you compost your pumpkin. Painted and glittered pumpkins are also not accepted. These must go in the trash.

Holiday string lights and cords can wrap around recycling machinery and damage it, so they are not accepted in your curbside bin.

What should you do with old lights?

The City of Hastings provides holiday light collection at the Parks & Recreation Department (920 Tenth St W) and Ace Hardware (1355 S Frontage Rd) November 17, 2025 through January 31, 2026. Please do not drop off cord adapters, plastic rope lights, CFL lights, battery packs, garlands, fake trees, statuary or metal ﬁxtures.
You can also bring unwanted lights to The Recycling Zone year-round (3365 Dodd Road, Eagan).

Live Christmas Trees

Real Christmas trees can’t go in the trash—they must be composted by law. Here’s how to dispose of yours responsibly:

Remove all decorations, lights, tinsel, wire, stands and plastic bags.
Tennis Sanitation offers a curbside tree pickup for a limited period after the holidays (usually early January). Call Tennis Sanitation at 651-459-1887 for further details and to schedule a pickup.
If curbside collection is not available, take your tree to a yard waste drop-off or composting facility.

Wreaths, Garland and Evergreen Decorations

Holiday greenery is not accepted as yard waste. This is because of likely contamination from metal wires and decorations.

Put holiday greenery in a plastic bag and place it in your garbage cart.
Do not leave holiday greenery in your yard or backyard compost all winter. This increases the risk of getting and spreading invasive species.

Contact Us

Phone: 651-480-2350

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