Know Before You Throw

With single-stream curbside recycling gaining momentum throughout the United States, many people are asking, “what can I put in the recycling bin?” While every city is different (and every recycling center is different as well) there are items that universally are accepted. Here is a basic guide that will help you “know before you throw.”

Metals:

Aluminum Cans

Aluminum Foil and Bakeware (Wiped Clean)

Steel Cans and Tin Cans (Soup Cans, Vegetable Cans, Coffee Cans)

Cardboard & Paper:

Corrugated Cardboard

Magazines

Office Paper

Newspaper

Paper Board (Cereal Boxes, Cracker Boxes)

Paper Cardboard Juice and Dairy Cartons

Junk Mail

Phone Books

Plastic:

Plastic Bottles, Jars and Jugs

It is essential that the plastic vessel is clean. Everything must be rinsed out!

What you SHOULD NOT put in your curbside bin:

Glass (Many facilities do not accept glass or require that not be included with the mixed batch.)

Plastic shopping bags or produce bags

Batteries

Styrofoam peanuts or packaging

Paper plates, napkins or paper towels

Wrapping paper

Pizza boxes

Items that can be recycled at special facilities:

Motor oil

Plastic shopping bags

Car batteries

Household batteries

Rechargeable batteries

Incandescent light bulbs

LED light bulbs

Compact Fluorescent light bulbs

Computers (Monitors, CPUs and Keyboards)

Copiers, Fax Machines and Printers

Televisions

VCRs, DVD Players, Stereos and Phones

Cell Phones

It is important to remember that food contaminated recyclables can spoil and entire batch so wiping, rinsing, cleaning is KEY in making sure that your efforts to recycle end up actually being recycled!

Check with your local municipality to find out what they do and do not accept in their curbside single-steam recycling program. There may be additions to this list…or subtractions. Ask where you can recycle the items that are not included in your curbside service. Educate yourself and most importantly, “know before you throw!”