Household Recycling

Recyclable Items

Recycling conserves resources, saves energy, and reduces the amount of valuable space in our landfills. Here’s a list of the materials that most services accept:

• Plastic Bottles, Tubs, and Jugs:  Recycle all soda, water, sports drinks, shampoo, milk, juice, sour cream, margarine, yogurt, etc. Items should be clean and dry before going into the bin.  Remove caps and covers.
• Glass Bottles and Jars: Recycle only glass containers that hold food or drink. No perfume bottles, light bulbs, window panes, glass dishes, or cookware. All colors of glass are accepted – clear, green, brown, and blue. Items should be clean with the caps removed. Check with your hauler for restrictions.
• All Cans (Aluminum, Tin, and Steel): Recycle aluminum beverage cans, tin, and steel food cans that are clean.  Throw away jagged metal can covers, as they can harm workers at the recycling center.
• Newspapers: Only clean, dry newspapers can be recycled. Discard wrappers, bags, and rubber bands. You may place the newspapers into a brown paper bag before recycling them – no plastic bags, please! Plastic bags can be returned to the grocery store, where they are recycled into new plastic bags.
• Magazines and Junk Mail: Recycle all magazines, catalogs, junk mail, and inserts that are clean and dry. Remove all plastic wrappers.
• Cardboard: Recycle cardboard that has not been contaminated with food or liquid. Before placing cardboard in your recycling bin, be sure to flatten boxes. Pizza boxes are okay as long as they are not contaminated with food or grease.
• Chipboard: Examples include tissue boxes, cereal, and other food packaging boxes. Remove and discard the box liners, then flatten the boxes before placing them in your recycling bin.
• Styrofoam: The Triad Foam Recycling Coalition will accept foam (except for peanuts), cardboard, and plastic bags for recycling. 

More Styrofoam Recycling Information

Things to Keep in Mind

Never place plastic bags in your recycling container; they will not be recycled.  Plastic bags get caught in the machinery, and it takes time to separate them from the recyclable materials and send them to the landfill. Instead, take your plastic bags back to the grocery store, where they’re happy to recycle them for you.

• It isn’t necessary to remove labels from cans, bottles, and jars.
• All materials can be mixed together in your recycling container.
• All materials should be clean and dry when placed in your recycling container.
• Don’t recycle cardboard and paper that is contaminated with food or liquids.
• Never place tissues, paper towels, paper plates, or foil/shiny gift wrap in your recycling container.
• When in doubt - toss it out.

Email bsteele2@guilfordcountync.gov if you have questions or need additional information.