HOW DO I RECYCLE?: COMMON RECYCLABLES

Paper/Cardboard

The municipal solid waste (trash), generated annually by municipalities each year is 23 percent made up of paper, which is more than any other material. In 2018, Americans recycled 68 percent of the paper they used. Recycled paper can be used to create new paper products. This helps save trees and other natural resources. Many community and office recycling programs accept paper, as well as paper products. Before you place your paper in the bin, check with your local recycling program. When you shop, look for products made from recycled papers. Even better, think about whether you actually need to print the product.

Here are some answers to common questions about cardboard and paper products. These are general answers, but your local recycling program might have specific rules. To find out if these items are accepted, check with your local recycling program.

Can I recycle newspapers

Yes, you can recycle newspapers.

Is it possible to recycle magazines?

Yes, magazines can also be recycled.

Can I recycle pizza boxes?

Yes! Yes, even though they contain grease, pizza boxes can be recycled. Before you place the pizza box in the recycling bin, make sure to take out any food scraps and flatten it.

Can I recycle mail?

Yes! Yes! Even plastic envelopes can be recycled.

Can cardboard and paper take-out containers be recycled?

It all depends on how much food was left on them. To clean the residue, rinse it off or scrape it away. You can recycle “Spatula Clean”! Containers contaminated by food cannot be recycled.

Are cardboard boxes and containers recyclable?

Yes. Flatten all boxes before you put them in the bin. Some examples of recyclable cardboard containers include egg cartons and cereal boxes.

Can shredded papers be recycled?

It all depends on the local recycling program.

Are books recyclable?

Donate the book if it is in good condition. Book donations are often accepted by schools, religious institutions, charities, and other non-profits. It can be recycled if the book is in a good condition. You can recycle paperback books as-is. Remove the cover from hardcover books before recycling them.

Is gift wrap recyclable?

If the wrapping paper is shiny or laminated, it may not be recyclable. Buy recycled gift wrap if you are using it. The EPA encourages people to reuse gift boxes, tissue paper, and gift bags. Newspaper is a great alternative to gift wrapping.

Plastics

In 2018, the United States produced more than 35 million tonnes of plastics, and only 8.7 percent of that was recycled. Some plastics are not acceptable in community recycling programs. To find out what types of plastics they accept, check with your local recycling organization. If possible, buy products made of recycled plastic materials.

Here are some frequently asked questions about plastic products. These are general answers, but your local program might have different rules. Check with your local recycling provider for more information.

Is it possible to recycle plastic bags, wraps, and films?

These items can be recycled, but not in your household garbage. These materials are often accepted for recycling in grocery and retail stores. You can also recycle sandwich bags by removing the zippers. To find out if there is a recycling facility near you.

Are plastic caps and bottles recyclable?

Yes, the labels and caps can usually be left on the bottles.

Is polystyrene foam (styrofoam), recyclable?

Styrofoam is not accepted in curbside recycling. To find out where your styrofoam can be dropped off for recycling.

Are plastic cups, cups, and utensils recyclable?

It all depends on the type of plastic used and whether they are accepted by your local recycling program. Food debris and other items cannot be recycled. Also, plastic utensils cannot be recycled.

Is it possible to recycle bio-based or compostable plastics?

Compostable plastic: If mixed with other non-compostable materials, compostable plastics can cause contamination and disruption to the recycling process. If you don’t have a local composting recycling program, please contact your garbage/recycling agency or your local government to inquire about drop-off areas for your compostable items.

What are the symbols on the bottoms of plastic bottles or containers?

These symbols are used to identify the plastic used in the construction of the containers. This will help you determine if the item can be recycled by your local program. This number is found in a triangle which looks very similar to the recycling symbol. This symbol does not mean that it can be recycled in your community.

Glass

You can recycle glass, particularly glass beverage and food containers, over and over. The United States produced 12.3 million tonnes of glass in 2018, 31.3 percent of which was recycled. It is usually cheaper to make new glass using recycled glass than it is from raw materials.

Here are some frequently asked questions about glass products. These are general answers, but your local recycling program might have other rules. To find out if these items are accepted by your local recycling program, please contact them.

Is it possible to recycle different types of glass together?

Many curbside recycling programs will accept glass of different colors and types, and then sort it at the recovery facility.

Can I recycle broken glass?

Broken glass should not be put in the recycling bin. Broken glass can cause injury to workers and equipment damage.

Is it possible to keep my metal cap on my glass bottles when I recycle them?

No. Metal bottle caps should not be mixed with glass bottles.

Aluminum

In 2018,, 3.9 Million Tons of Aluminum Municipal Solid Waste was produced. The aluminum item total recycling rate was 34.9 percent. Aluminum foil and aluminum cans can both be recycled.

Here are some frequently asked questions about aluminum products. These are general answers, but your local recycling program might have different rules. To find out if these items are accepted by your local recycling program, please contact them.

Can aluminum cans be broken up before they are recycled?

Aluminum cans should not generally be crushed before being recycled. Crushed cans will be harder to find when they are sorted at recycling plants in areas that have single-stream recycling. Crushing cans isn’t an issue if you live in an area that has multi-stream recycling.

Can I recycle aluminum foil?

Aluminum foil can be recycled. Be sure to get rid of any food residues before recycling aluminum foil.

Battery

Lead-acid batteries are among the most commonly recycled products. In 2018, 2.9million were recycled, which is 99 percent of the total generation. Other types of batteries are not as easily recycled. While batteries can be recycled, they are not recyclable in most cases. These batteries need special handling so they should be taken to specialist drop-off places or house hazardous waste collection points. You can find our resources for how to recycle household batteries or used lithium-ion battery.

• Dry-Cell Battery can be used in many electronic devices, including alkaline and carbon-zinc (9-volt, D. C, AA and AAA), and silver-oxide as well as zinc-air (button). These batteries can be disposed of at community events or in-store recycling bins.
• Lithiumion Batteries can be used in many rechargeable items such as toys, electronics, hand-held power tools, mobile phones, and small and large electric vehicles. They should not be thrown in the garbage or municipal recycling bins. For disposal, household lithium-ion batteries may be taken to designated in-store recycling bins. For end-of-life management, medium- and large-scale energy storage batteries or automobile dealers should be returned to their manufacturer.
• Lithium Metal Battery is similar to lithium-ion but they are not rechargeable. These batteries are used in many products, including watches, mobile games, smoke detectors, and remote controls. They should not be thrown in the garbage or in municipal recycling bins. Instead, look for designated in-store recycling bins and household hazardous waste collection events to dispose of them.
• Lead-Acid Battery are found in cars, boats, snowmobiles and motorcycles. You can return lead-acid battery to a local battery retailer or household hazardous waste collection program. Do not place lead-acid batteries into the trash or municipal recycling bins.
• Other rechargeable batteries include nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, or nickel-zinc. These batteries are found in small electronic devices, such as cordless power tools, cordless phone, cell phones, digital cameras and small electronics. These rechargeable batteries should not be thrown in the garbage or in municipal recycling bins. Instead, look for designated in-store recycling bins and household hazardous waste collection events to dispose of them.

Electronics

According to the EPA, 2.7 million tonnes of consumer electronics were produced in 2018. These electronics were recycled at 38.5 percent. Electronics can’t be recycled curbside but can be left at designated collection sites. There are many options for electronics to be donated or recycled by retailers and manufacturers, including televisions, computers and cell phones. The list of retailers and manufacturers that offer recycling options is available from the EPA. All personal information should be deleted before you recycle electronics. 

FOOD

According to the EPA, 63.1 million tonnes of food waste were generated in residential, commercial and institutional sectors in 2018. Food cannot be recycled. Tossing food in the trash is not the best way to manage it. Methane emissions from food that ends up in landfills contribute to climate change. The EPA recommends reducing food wastage by only buying what you really need and eating leftovers. Composting is an environmentally-friendly method of food waste disposal. 

Lawn Materials

In 2018, there were 35.4 million tonnes of yard trimmings. Although lawn trimmings cannot be recycled, they can be composted. You can compost lawn materials, but you will need to check with your community to see if there are any yard trimming services near you.

Oil for Sale

Don’t flush your used motor oil down the toilet. One oil change can cause a contamination of one million gallons. Reusing your old oil helps keep the water supply clean. It takes just one gallon of used oil, which is only 42 gallons for a quart of crude oil, to make 2.5 quarts. Many auto-supply shops and garages that sell motor oils will also accept oil for recycling. Our resources for learning how to manage, reuse and recycle used oil. 

Household Hazardous Materials

Household hazardous waste recycling

Household hazardous waste (HHW) is any household product that could catch fire, react, explode, or ignite under certain conditions. It all depends on the location of your local solid waste agency/recycling center. Some examples are pesticides and herbicides as well as paints, oils filters, light bulbs, batteries, unemptied aerosol containers, ammunition, antifreeze, nail polish, and ammonia. These products should be disposed of with care. If HHW is poured down the sink, dumped on top of the ground or thrown away with regular trash, it can pose a danger to the environment and be hazardous to the health of people.

Here’s what you can do

• Reduce your purchase of these products and search for non-hazardous alternatives.
• These products can be disposed of at special events or permanent collection centers. Sometimes, businesses will accept these products for recycling.
• To find out the rules in your area for disposing of HHW, you should first consult your local waste management agency.

What can I do about paint?

To find out if your local charity accepts paint donations, check with schools, religious places, or non-profits. You can also contact your local recycling facility to see if there are any other ways you could recycle paint in your community.

How do I use thermometers and barometers?

You should not throw them away in the trash. You can check with your local recycling facility or household hazardous waste facility for more information.

How do I replace a blown-out light bulb?

For recycling options, check with your local recycling center or bring them to a store that offers light bulb recycling.

Tires

When you get new tires, most garages will accept them and recycle them. Tires can be returned to a local tire retailer or to a recycling facility that accepts them. You may be able to return your tires to some communities through collection events. Tires shouldn’t be left behind. Tire piles can be home to rodents and other disease-carrying pests like rodents. Tire piles may catch fire.

In 2018, 19.2 million tonnes of ferrous metals (iron or steel) were produced. The EPA estimates that the ferrous metal recycling rate from durable goods was 27.8%. 2.5 million tonnes of nonferrous metals, which did not contain iron, were also produced that year. The nonferrous metals were recycled at a rate of approximately 68 percent.

How do I recycle metal?

Depending on where you live, there are many options and programs for metal recycling. Find out what’s available in your locality.

Metal

In 2018, 19.2 million tonnes of ferrous metals (iron or steel) were produced. The EPA estimates that the ferrous metals recycling rate from durable goods was 27.8%. 2.5 million tonnes of nonferrous metals, which did not contain iron, were also produced that year. The nonferrous metals were recycled at a rate of approximately 68 percent.

How do I recycle metal?

Depending on where you live, there are many options and programs for metal recycling. Find out what’s available in your locality.

Miscellaneous

How do I deal with dirty diapers?

We provide some general guidelines, but you should always consult your local solid waste agency/recycling program.

You should flush the diaper down the toilet and then throw it away. You might consider using cloth diapers that are reusable instead of disposables.

How do I dispose of old clothes and shoes?

Many charities will accept gently worn clothing and shoes. To donate damaged shoes and clothes, check with your local charity. Many retail stores will recycle your clothing and shoes. Find out if your local stores accept these items for recycling.