Unbending Plastics –
- Food jars, tubs (lids on)
- Food containers/clamshells that are transparent (e.g. from berries, mixed greens)
- Disposable plates, glasses
- Beverage containers (lids on)
- Bottles of detergent, soap, and shampoo (caps/sprays/pumps on)
- Crystalline CD/DVD cases (empty
- black cases are garbage)
All black and/or biodegradable plastics should be discarded.
What items can be placed in the recycling bin?
- Lawn trimmings
- Flowers
- Leaves
- Wood
- Unfinished, untreated wood
- Hedge and tree pruning
- Christmas trees not adorned
What materials go in the recycling bins?
What Can and Cannot Be Placed in Recycling Bins
| YES | NO |
| Aluminum Empty and rinse. YES cans aluminum foil pie pans, aluminum trays | NO siding scrap metal foil-wrapped beverage pouches (Capri Sun) pots and pans utensils tools |
| Steel (tin cans) Empty and rinse. Labels do not need to be removed. YES food and beverage cans (metal lids OK) pet food, soup cans (metal lids OK) EMPTY aerosol spray cans (food, laundry, beauty) | NO hangers toys aerosol spray cans that contained hazardous products: spray paint, insecticides, etc. scrap metal appliances paint cans pipes pots and pans fuel tanks utensils car parts tools |
| Glass Empty and rinse. Labels do not need to be removed. Keep lids on. YES food and beverage bottles and jars | NO ceramics cookware (Pyrex) light bulbs windows baking dishes coffee mugs fluorescent lights glass art dishware medicine bottles eye glasses wine corks drinking glasses plate glass vases canning jars broken glass mirrors holiday lights |
| Plastics Empty and rinse. Keep caps on. YES food containers: margarine, yogurt, cooking oil, condiments, peanut butter beverage bottles and jugs: soda, water, juice, milk detergent bottles, dish soap bottles personal care bottles: shampoo, soap, etc. clear plastic clamshells (no black or Styrofoam) | NO plastic bags meat trays containers that contained motor oil, anti-freeze, pesticides, pool chemicals or other hazardous substances plastic wrap/cling wrap egg cartons Styrofoam (polystyrene) medicine and pill bottles cups/take-out containers “packing” peanuts cups, plates, utensils, straws packaging of any kind: foam, blister pack curbside/other plastic bins cookie trays dry cleaner/garment bags black plastic laundry baskets indoor/outdoor/patio furniture liners from food packaging toys swimming pools compostable plastics flower pots hoses; PVC piping or tubing cellophane food bags (e.g., candy bars, cookies, pasta) 5-gallon pails; buckets containers bigger than 2.5 gallons VCR tapes, CDs, cases Nalgene water bottles frozen food bags/pouches tarps holiday lights |
| Cartons Empty, rinse, and flatten. Throw away straws. YES milk and juice cartons (plastic spout OK) soymilk, soup and drink boxes (remove straws) | NO foil-wrapped pouches (Capri Sun) frozen juice cartons frozen food packaging plastic straws |
| Paper Clean paper only. Flatten boxes. “Windows” in envelopes, staples, paper clips, tape all OK. YES newspaper, inserts, magazines, junk mail white, colored, glossy, and construction paper shredded paper—put in paper bag corrugated cardboard, clean pizza boxes (no grease or food) boxboard (for example, cereal boxes) gift wrap, gift bags, cards, gift tissue paper (no metallic inks, foil, wire, glitter) paperback books and phonebooks | NO soda, beer plastic rings butter, margarine boxes glossy boxes that show white strands when torn (frozen food boxes) paper cups paper towels, napkins paper plates tissues egg cartons Tyvek or padded envelopes blueprints frozen juice cartons hardcover books dirtied paper (pet waste, paint) take-out containers stickers and sticker sheeting copy paper packaging |
What Can and Cannot Be Placed in Recycling Bins
What may I place in my Recycling Bin?
What Can and Cannot Be Placed in Recycling Bins
| YES | NO |
| Aluminum Empty and rinse. YES cans aluminum foil pie pans, aluminum trays | NO siding scrap metal foil-wrapped beverage pouches (Capri Sun) pots and pans utensils tools |
| Steel (tin cans) Empty and rinse. Labels do not need to be removed. YES food and beverage cans (metal lids OK) pet food, soup cans (metal lids OK) EMPTY aerosol spray cans (food, laundry, beauty) | NO hangers toys aerosol spray cans that contained hazardous products: spray paint, insecticides, etc. scrap metal appliances paint cans pipes pots and pans fuel tanks utensils car parts tools |
| Glass Empty and rinse. Labels do not need to be removed. Keep lids on. YES food and beverage bottles and jars | NO ceramics cookware (Pyrex) light bulbs windows baking dishes coffee mugs fluorescent lights glass art dishware medicine bottles eye glasses wine corks drinking glasses plate glass vases canning jars broken glass mirrors holiday lights |
| Plastics Empty and rinse. Keep caps on. YES food containers: margarine, yogurt, cooking oil, condiments, peanut butter beverage bottles and jugs: soda, water, juice, milk detergent bottles, dish soap bottles personal care bottles: shampoo, soap, etc. clear plastic clamshells (no black or Styrofoam) | NO plastic bags meat trays containers that contained motor oil, anti-freeze, pesticides, pool chemicals or other hazardous substances plastic wrap/cling wrap egg cartons Styrofoam (polystyrene) medicine and pill bottles cups/take-out containers “packing” peanuts cups, plates, utensils, straws packaging of any kind: foam, blister pack curbside/other plastic bins cookie trays dry cleaner/garment bags black plastic laundry baskets indoor/outdoor/patio furniture liners from food packaging toys swimming pools compostable plastics flower pots hoses; PVC piping or tubing cellophane food bags (e.g., candy bars, cookies, pasta) 5-gallon pails; buckets containers bigger than 2.5 gallons VCR tapes, CDs, cases Nalgene water bottles frozen food bags/pouches tarps holiday lights |
| Cartons Empty, rinse, and flatten. Throw away straws. YES milk and juice cartons (plastic spout OK) soymilk, soup and drink boxes (remove straws) | NO foil-wrapped pouches (Capri Sun) frozen juice cartons frozen food packaging plastic straws |
| Paper Clean paper only. Flatten boxes. “Windows” in envelopes, staples, paper clips, tape all OK. YES newspaper, inserts, magazines, junk mail white, colored, glossy, and construction paper shredded paper—put in paper bag corrugated cardboard, clean pizza boxes (no grease or food) boxboard (for example, cereal boxes) gift wrap, gift bags, cards, gift tissue paper (no metallic inks, foil, wire, glitter) paperback books and phonebooks | NO soda, beer plastic rings butter, margarine boxes glossy boxes that show white strands when torn (frozen food boxes) paper cups paper towels, napkins paper plates tissues egg cartons Tyvek or padded envelopes blueprints frozen juice cartons hardcover books dirtied paper (pet waste, paint) take-out containers stickers and sticker sheeting copy paper packaging |
What Can and Cannot Be Placed in Recycling Bins
What can you recycle in your grey bin?
– Pizza boxes. The oil and paper fibers cannot be separated. – Lighting fixtures. Check your state’s disposal requirements. – Food-contaminated containers There must not be residual. – Aluminum foil. The foil cannot be recycled. – Water bottles with caps. The bottle caps must be kept separate from the bottles. – Pyrex. – Drinking glasses. – Ceramics.