Ridwell, an innovative and eco-friendly service, is now making it easier for residents of the Twin Cities to reuse and recycle items that cannot be placed in the city’s curbside recycling bins and must be either taken to drop-off locations or put in the trash. They collect hard-to-recycle thin plastic film (produce bags, plastic shipping bags, etc.), batteries, lightbulbs and clothing, along with a rotating category that benefits local nonprofit partners.

 “Ridwell members care about the planet and want a way to more easily reuse and recycle items that are not included in the curbside recycling bin but shouldn’t go in the trash either,” says Ridwell founder and CEO Ryan Metzger. “We do the legwork so they can keep these materials out of the trash with confidence.”

 Ridwell gives household trash new life by partnering with companies like TREX, which turns plastic film into composite lumber for decks, benches and playground sets. A rotating category enables members to further declutter their homes and help local nonprofit partners in need of specific items. During the next few months, Ridwell will partner with Loaves and Fishes to collect non-perishable food items, the Prop Shop in Eden Prairie to pick up gently used kids’ clothing, as well as the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to provide towels and pillowcases and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity ReStore to share tools and hardware.

 Subscriptions range from $12 to $16 per month, depending on the length of commitment. Ridwell is currently in service in South, Southeast and Southwest Minneapolis and will expand into new areas based on community interest.

 Inspired by a six-year-old and his dad looking to recycle old batteries, Ridwell began in 2018 and now serves more than 50,000 families in Seattle, Portland and Denver. 

For more information, visit Ridwell.com

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