What to recycle
To help you get recycling right, here’s a guide to what goes in your recycling bin.
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What you can recycle
All containers should be emptied, rinsed, and dried before you put them into the recycling. You don’t need to place lids or caps back on bottles or containers.
If the recyclable item is in a plastic sleeve or bag, you should remove it.
Plastics (labeled 2,1,5)
- Food containers
- Bottles and jars
- Detergent and shampoo bottles
- Pump and spray bottles
Paper
- Newspapers
- Magazines and brochures
- Junk mail and envelopes
- Scrap paper
- Paper bags
- Paperback books
Cartons
- Milk and juice
- Wine
- Soups
Metals
- Aluminum, steel, and tin cans
- Empty paint and aerosol cans
- Aluminum baking dishes
Glass
- All bottles and jars
Cardboard
- Corrugated cardboard boxes
- Clean pizza boxes
- Paper towel rolls
- Egg cartons
- Dry food and shipping boxes
You should remove all shipping or packing materials (such as packing peanuts and Styrofoam blocks) before recycling any cardboard. Empty boxes should then be collapsed, folded, and placed inside the recycling bin.
What to keep out of the bin
Not everything with a recycling symbol is accepted as curbside recycling. Some materials aren’t safe or useful for recycling. Learn what to keep out of your recycling bin.
- Plastic bags
- Metal hangers
- Tanglers (hoses, cords, ropes, chains)
- Flammables (propane tanks, rechargeable batteries, fuel)
- Needles and syringes
- Clothing/bedding
- Styrofoam™
- Disposable plates, cups, and takeout containers
- Greasy or food-soiled paper and cardboard
- Tissues, paper towels, and napkins
- Light bulbs
- Cassette tapes (VHS and audio)
- Pots and pans
Important recycling reminders
No plastic bags
Plastic bags are not recyclable curbside. They tear and wrap around the moving parts in recycling processing machines, leading to increased maintenance costs, equipment damage, and even worker-safety issues.
To safely recycle plastic bags, place them in drop-off bins found at most supermarkets or big box stores.
No needles or syringes
Needles and syringes should go in your regular trash in a strong plastic container or wrapped in cloth.
Contaminating the recycling stream with these items not only ruins good materials and damages equipment—it endangers our recycling workers.