Recycling 101

Knowing the ins and outs of how to recycle can be a bit confusing, especially since accepted items often vary between cities and recycling companies. Always check with your local recycler for specific information on what items they take. The basic recycling guidelines on this page are universal.

The most important recycling rule

Unless specifically directed to do so, do not bag recycling; keep items loose. Bagged recyclables cannot be sorted, and your efforts will end up in the landfill.

Curbside recycling tips

• Containers should be as empty as possible. A good rule of thumb is that the contents shouldn’t weigh more than the container itself.
• Items should be relatively clean. You don’t necessarily need to wash or even rinse containers, although some recyclers ask for this. If a container holds anything that drips or that will smear on another product (i.e paper), it should be cleaned enough so that it doesn’t contaminate everything else in the bin.
  • Water-saving tip: Put cans or containers in the sink and let water from washing your hands, etc. passively rinse the item. You could also put containers in the dishwasher to make a full load.
• Each item should be composed of a single material. Objects made from mixed/multiple materials cannot be recycled in your curbside bin. Examples:
  • Spray bottle pumps – there’s a metal coil inside the plastic
  • Snack and candy wrappers – many plastic wrappers are lined with foil
  • Toothpaste tubes and garden hoses, as they contain both metal and plastic.
• Size matters. A general rule is for items to be bigger than a credit card; anything smaller will likely slip through sorting machinery or baling. Try putting bottle caps and other small aluminum objects inside of soda cans, sticking post-it notes to a regular-sized piece of paper, and balling up and saving aluminum foil until it is about the size of a baseball. Conversely, don’t put anything excessively large or bulky in your can, such as pieces of scrap metal or furniture.
• Don’t “wishcycle”. In other words, don’t add objects to your recycling and hope for the best. If you aren’t sure if something is recyclable, find out before putting it in your bin and risking contamination. If you know it can’t be recycled, look for other available options before throwing the item in the garbage.

Things that don’t belong in curbside recycling bins

Erroneous items frequently seen in curbside recycling cans include:

• Styrofoam
• Plastic film like shopping bags, plastic wrap, etc.
• Garden hoses
• Tissue products like paper towels, napkins, and toilet paper
• Yard debris

Just because an item has the recycling arrows on it does NOT automatically mean it is recyclable, especially with plastic.

What can you recycle?

Again, check with your local recyclers and resources for specific guidelines on what materials are accepted and how they need to be sorted. In general, these are the items you should be able to place in your curbside bin.

Aluminum & Tin

• Aluminum and tin cans
  • No need to crush; a recycling operator told me it’s better not to because when cans are crushed together in the facility, the bale sticks together better.
• Aluminum foil
  • Wrap, yogurt tops, inside cigarette boxes, disposable bakeware (if free of food)
  • Accumulate foil balls to approximately baseball size so pieces will not get lost in sorting machinery. You can also add small scraps (like Hershey’s kiss wrappers) inside an aluminum can.
• Empty aerosol cans
• Empty tins, such as mint or popcorn tins
• *Clean paint cans
  • Some companies will accept cans with dried paint residue, so check first; otherwise, these need to be deposited with hazardous waste.

Metal not acceptable in curbside recycling

• Scrap metal, auto parts, wire hangers, electronics, batteries

Visit the metal recycling guide to learn more about what metals are recyclable, how to recycle scrap metal.

Paper

• Newspaper and newspaper inserts
• Paper shopping bags
• Paper mailers/envelopes
• Cardboard boxes
• Cardboard or paperboard packaging
• Lightly soiled pizza boxes
• Cardboard tubes
• Books & magazines
• White and colored paper
• Art projects (without excessive amounts of glue or glitter)
• Wrapping paper, tissue paper, paper gift bags (As long as they are not metallic or coated with glitter or lots of decorations)

Possibly:

• Aseptic cartons aka tetrapaks. Aseptic cartons are the waxy cartons that contain liquids. Shelf-stable cartons can sit in your pantry, these are things like juice boxes, soups, gravy, nut milks, and wine. Refrigerated, aka gable-top, cartons are found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store and contain foods such as milk, cream, juice, and egg substitutes. Some areas accept both refrigerated and shelf-stable, others take only one kind. Click to find out if your community can recycle them, but it is best to check with your local recycler.

Paper products not acceptable for recycling

• Tissue products (paper towels, napkins, and toilet paper)
• Receipts. The thermal paper they are printed on cannot be recycled. (If you scratch the paper and it leaves a grey line, it is thermal paper.)
• Items soaked with grease, fats, oil, or chemicals, including cleaning products.
• Hardback books.
• Coffee cups or any other waxy cup.
• Shredded paper isn’t accepted by some recyclers, since it turns into confetti. Some may take it if stored in a cardboard box.

Get more tips on paper recycling.

Plastic

Acceptable plastic for recycling

• Empty bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars. Keep lids on.

Check which plastics your local recycler accepts. Just because an item has a recycle symbol on the bottom does not mean it is recyclable. The symbol is actually a resin identification code that’s purpose is to indicate the type of plastic used to manufacture the item. Technically all plastics can be recycled, but it is dependent on factors like cost, supply and demand of these commodities, and the capability of facilities to process these more difficult to recycle types of plastics. The supply depends on us: since only about 9% of plastic is recycled in the U.S., certain types of plastic are difficult for recyclers to find.

I think it is safe to say that plastics with resin codes #1 (PET/PETE) and #2 (HDPE) are universally accepted and recycled, although some recyclers will only take bottles with a neck. #5 (PP) is another frequently accepted plastic type.

In my area, all plastics #1-7 are accepted, but #1, #2, #4, and #5 are the only ones actually getting recycled. The rest are sold to a cement plant who burns these plastics as a fuel source for their kiln. This is actually a very common practice throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world. To learn more, read this Reuters article about the environmental impacts of plastic incineration.

Some brand’s packaging can be recycled through programs like Terracycle and Nordstrom’s Beautycycle.

Unacceptable plastic items for recycling

• Bulky items, like furniture
• Styrofoam
  • Styrofoam is a notoriously tough material to recycle; I haven’t located anywhere that will recycle them. Some places may recycle block styrofoam, such as Marko Foam in Utah. Many sources say that UPS stores will take your packing peanuts, but the locations I have contacted told me they do not, and one told me UPS has banned packing peanuts altogether. So styrofoam belongs in the trash; do your best to avoid it as much as possible.
• Plastic film (shopping bags, breads bags, ziploc, plastic wrap, etc.)
  • Check How2Recycle for drop-off recycling locations. To learn more about plastic film and more resources, click here.

Plastic is undoubtedly the most complicated and confusing material to recycle. Learn more about the types of plastic and what plastic items are actually recyclable.

Glass

Make sure you know whether your recycler collects glass separately or combined with your mixed recycling–most areas have a separate glass collection.

• Acceptable items include empty glass bottles and jars of all colors from items like beverages, condiments, jarred foods, oil & vinegar, spices, sauces, vases, drinking glasses & cups, and beauty products. Broken glass is ok.
• Remove corks, caps, and lids and recycle separately as able. You do not need to remove labels.

Not acceptable:

• Light bulbs, Pyrex, windshields, windows, ceramics or pottery, aquariums, or mirrors.

Have more glass recycling questions? Explore the full guide here.

Electronics

Most of the materials used in electronic devices are not only recyclable, but some are also very valuable. In addition, devices are considered hazardous waste, containing toxic compounds such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, chlorine, bromine, and flame retardants. When not disposed of properly or landfilled, these harmful chemicals leach into soil and groundwater.

Just about anything with a cord, plug, or battery is recyclable.

Check out the full guide on electronics recycling.

Appliances

Check out the full guide on appliance recycling.

Textiles

Textile recycling is generally difficult to find locally, but there are a good number of online programs. Recyclable textiles include things like clothing, bedding, pillows, towels, drapes & curtains, furniture upholstery, and fabric scraps.

Explore ways to recycle textiles here.

How do I recycle other items?

Check local resources available to you in your area. Stores like Staples, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and IKEA accept a variety of harder-to-recycle items for recycling. Find more resources for specific items, such as textiles and other household goods (like batteries) throughout this site.

For large items, such as appliances, try a waste hauler like Junk King. They reuse, repurpose, or recycle 60% of what they haul away.

Terracycle is mentioned frequently throughout this website. This mail-in company offers numerous recycling programs for specific items and brands, some at no cost and others for a fee. The waste boxes are pretty expensive, so one option is to split the cost for a community box that friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers can add to. The best overall option is their All-in-one zero waste box that you can add just about anything that can’t go in your curbside recycling. You can opt to become a public drop-off for various Terracycle programs, or find spots near you.

Recyclops is a recycling service that currently operates in more than 30 states. This is a great option if you don’t have other curbside recycling providers in your area, or it offers convenient curbside pickup of hard-to-recycle items such as batteries, light bulbs, and styrofoam. They will also pick up clothing in good condition for donation.

Recycling organization tips

It can be hard to find space to collect items that can’t go in your curbside recycling. These are the systems that currently work for me, but feel free to share any ideas you have in the comments.

Keep a container under the bathroom sink for empty beauty and personal product containers. This can be as simple as a small cardboard box. Too jam-packed under there? Chances are, you likely need to cut down on some toiletry purchases and do some Marie Kondo-ing to clear out (and recycle) old products.

I love recycling; it’s so important. BUT, it is a complicated and expensive endeavor, and it is in no way the answer to our climate crisis. Please do all you can to avoid the need for recycling in the first place by Refusing single-use plastics whenever possible, Reducing waste by making mindful purchases, and Reusing items by upcycling, selling, or donating. Learn more about how you can incorporate these vital steps in an upcoming article.