Lake County outlines landfill, recycling hours and solid-waste fees
Lake County’s disposal map separates landfill loads, recycling and hazardous waste, with set hours and fees that can save a wasted trip. Some items are free, others are not.
A Lake County dump run can end at the courthouse office in Two Harbors, the Recycle Center, the Demolition Landfill or the seasonal Household Hazardous Waste drop-off. Before you back up the truck, the county wants residents, cabin owners and contractors to sort by destination.
Know the right stop before you load the truck
The easiest mistake in Lake County is assuming one site takes everything. The county’s solid-waste setup is split by material, and that matters most for rural cleanouts, cabin turnover and contractor debris that do not fit curbside pickup. If the load includes household trash, recyclables, sharp medical waste, motor oil, tires or demolition debris, the county expects you to use the right lane instead of arriving blind at the wrong gate.
Here is the simplest way to sort common items before you leave home:
- Regular recyclables and problem items that do not belong in the landfill cart go to the Recycle Center in Two Harbors.
- Demolition and construction debris go to the Demolition Landfill, where pricing depends on where the material came from.
- Used motor oil, filters and medical sharps have specific drop-off rules at the Recycle Center.
- Tires, mattresses, appliances and e-waste are accepted at the Recycle Center during open hours.
- Household hazardous waste is handled seasonally, not as an everyday drop-in.
- Contractors hauling material for pay need to pay attention to the county’s license fee schedule before they load out.
Recycle Center hours and what it takes
Lake County’s Recycle Center, at 515 Recycle Center Dr. in Two Harbors, is open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is the county’s main daytime stop for materials that are bulky, awkward or hazardous enough to be handled separately from everyday trash. E-waste, mattresses, tires and appliances are accepted during open hours, and the center also accepts medical sharps.
Used motor oil and filters go next to the shed, near the old HHW building.
The landfill is for demolition and construction loads
The Demolition Landfill follows a tighter schedule than the Recycle Center. From May through October, it operates on Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. From November through April, it switches to Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and by appointment.
The county’s fee schedule makes the landfill economics plain. In-county demolition and construction disposal is $15 per cubic yard, tax included. Out-of-county disposal is $43 per cubic yard, tax included. Concrete is $10 per cubic yard, provided it has no rebar or mesh, and scrap metal is free. If a load arrives mixed or poorly sorted, county staff charge $150 per yard for load sorting, which can turn a routine dump run into an expensive cleanup.
What costs money and what does not
The fee schedule is the part to check before any cabin cleanout or renovation. Contractors need a Waste Collector/Transporter License, listed at $150 annually, and each additional vehicle is $75.
For homeowners and cabin owners, the biggest surprise is usually that some items are free while others are not. Scrap metal is free, which makes metal shed pieces, old frames and similar material one of the easiest categories to move. Concrete is not free, but it is priced lower than many other materials at $10 per cubic yard if it meets the county’s no-rebar, no-mesh requirement. The big cost trap is a mixed load, where county staff must sort it for $150 per yard.
Seasonal hazardous waste is handled separately
Lake County’s Household Hazardous Waste service is not a casual drop-off like the recycle line. The HHW facility opened May 12 and took drop-offs from 12:00 to 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday until fall, with no early or late drop-offs. The county directed questions to 218-834-8303.
Paints, solvents and other hazardous materials need to be routed through the county’s seasonal HHW setup instead of being tucked into a trash bag or left for a later trip.
Other drop-off options and the people behind the system
John’s Sanitary - D&D Services at 15 Golf Course Road in Silver Bay is another recycling drop-off site.
Chris Hatfield is Recycling Center Operator; Margaret (Sissy) Houle is Solid Waste Technician; and Colleen Wallin is Solid Waste Coordinator. The Environmental Services Office at the Lake County Courthouse is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., which gives residents a central weekday contact point when they need help sorting a load before they travel.
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