What to Recycle
| Paper and Cardboard | ||
|---|---|---|
| PAPER AND CARDBOARD | How to Prepare | DO NOT INCLUDE |
| Newspaper and inserts | Loose or in paper bags (no plastic) | - Plastic bags (recycle at stores—see “plastic film” recycling info below) - Paper contaminated with food or vegetable oil (to compost) - Cartons and aseptic containers (waxy-like and cardboard-like containers for milk and juice) (trash) - Used paper towels, napkins, tissues (to compost) - Used paper plates (trash if plastic coating; to compost if 100% paper and no plastic coating) - Paper cups (trash due to plastic coating) - Paper contaminated w/ paint/debris (trash) - Ice cream or frozen food coated packaging (trash due to plastic coating) - Tyvek mailing envelopes or bubble wrap (can be recycled with plastic bags—see “plastic film” info below) - Waxed cardboard produce boxes (to compost) |
| Corrugated cardboard | Flatten boxes | |
| Chipboard/cereal/pasta/shoe boxes, file folders, cardboard egg cartons | Flatten boxes; plastic windows OK | |
| Office paper, junk mail, magazines, catalogs, glossy paper, phone books, paper bags | Plastic windows OK; paper bags must be clean and empty | |
| Pizza boxes | No grease, no food/cheese | |
| Unused paper plates | No grease, no food scraps | |
| Hard- and soft-cover books | ||
| Shredded paper | Loose or in paper bags (not plastic) | |
| Wrapping paper | No plastics or foils, no ribbons | |
| Paper goods OK with staples, spiral bindings, plastic envelope windows | ||
| Comingled Glass, Metal, Plastic | ||
|---|---|---|
| GLASS, METAL, PLASTIC | How to Prepare | DO NOT INCLUDE |
| ABSOLUTELY NO PLASTIC BAGS, PLASTIC WRAPPING & PLASTIC FILM COVERS (even with recycle symbol) because they tangle and jam sorting equipment; recycle at stores (see “plastic film” recycling info below), or send to trash | ||
| Glass bottles (all colors) | Remove metal caps and include in commingled; neck rings OK | - Window glass, light bulbs, drinking glasses, Pyrex (trash) - Ceramic items (trash) |
| Metal food cans and lids (steel, tin, aluminum) | Do not flatten, clean, labels OK | - Scrap metal (can damage sorting equipment; send to scrap metal area) - Aerosol cans if partially full (hazardous waste; if empty, OK to recycle w/ cans) - Latex paint cans (to trash once paint inside has dried out - pop lid to dry) |
| Aluminum foil, pie plates, trays | Foil best as 3–4” balls (or larger) for capture by equipment | |
| Plastic containers labeled #1 thru #7 Clean plastic plant pots OK | Do not flatten, plastic caps may be left on, neck rings OK | - StyrofoamTM goes to dedicated bin for StyrofoamTM only – see info on page 2 - PLA compostable ware (to compost) - Latex paint cans (to trash once paint inside has dried out - pop lid to dry) |
| Gable-top cartons (milk, juice, etc.) | ||
| Aseptic rectangular “cartons” such as juice boxes, soy milk, soup stock | ||
| Additional Materials Accepted for Recycling | ||
|---|---|---|
| Material | How to Prepare | DO NOT INCLUDE |
| RIGID PLASTIC | ||
| Rigid plastic objects with no recycle symbol (plastic toys, rigid wading pools, crates, etc.) | Remove batteries from toys, etc. Deposit in Rigid Plastics area | Metal parts or batteries not OK Soft plastics, such as vinyl hoses, inflatable pools (trash) |
| STYROFOAMTM | Click here for collection dates | DO NOT INCLUDE |
| White Rigid Styrofoam, Styrofoam coolers | Deposit in large green container (Must be clean) | Food containers (can contaminate load) |
| StyrofoamTM peanuts | In plastic bag to prevent blowing | Biodegradable/starch peanuts (compost) |
| SCRAP METAL | DO NOT INCLUDE | |
| Scrap Metal | Deposit in Scrap Metal area | Wiry material (trash – jams equipment) |
| FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS | DO NOT INCLUDE | |
| Compact fluorescent light bulbs, tubes | Deposit in dedicated bin area | Incandescent bulbs (trash) |
| BATTERIES | DO NOT INCLUDE | |
| Button & rechargeable batteries (b/c hazardous contents incl. mercury) | Bring to gatehouse | Alkaline batteries such as AA, AAA (OK to trash) |
| YARD WASTE | DO NOT INCLUDE | |
| Grass, leaves, flowers | Bring loose | Plastic or paper bags |
| Brush, twigs, logs | Less than 18 inches in diameter | Plastic or paper bags |
| Wood chips, easily raked materials | Bring loose, in bins/buckets to dump | Stumps |
| Christmas trees | Remove tinsel from trees | |
| E-WASTE | DO NOT INCLUDE | |
| Electronics (plug-in or battery): computer, printer, scanner, etc. | Deposit in dedicated Electronics bin No TV's or Monitors | Batteries must be removed. Cell phones go to gatehouse at entrance |
| DONATION AREA | DO NOT INCLUDE | |
| Gently used items may be donated to the Transfer Station Swap Shop | Clean, dry, in working condition | See Swap Shop guidelines for accepted items (link on page 1) |
| Clothing/textiles may be donated to Red Cross, Salvation Army or Textile Recycling-Reuse Program | All clean, dry, odorless textiles accepted: rips, stains OK; shoes, belts, curtains, bedding OK | Mildewed, damp or dirty items |
| CONCRETE, CEMENT, BRICKS, DIRT | ||
| Concrete, cement, bricks, dirt | Deposit in Concrete/Cement area | |
| WASTE OIL | DO NOT INCLUDE | |
| Used motor oil | See gate attendant | Solvents, gasoline, water or debris |
| USED ANTIFREEZE | ||
| Used antifreeze | See gatehouse attendant | |
| UNACCEPTABLE ITEMS |
|---|
- Chemicals/Solvents: oil paints/stains, pesticides, gasoline, arts & crafts supplies (solvents), photo chemicals, pool chemicals, thinners & solvents |
| Some items on the “unacceptable” list may be disposed of during Household Hazardous Waste Day. For more info on Household Hazardous Waste Day, see our Hazardous Waste Webpage. |
- SEE GATEHOUSE ATTENDANT for these items handled at no charge: button batteries, rechargeable batteries, cell phones, antifreeze; and for these items handled for small fee: monitors & televisions & CRT’s, hard drives, bulky items such as small propane tanks.
- “PLASTIC FILM” RECYCLING: for information and drop-off store locations for recycling plastic grocery bags and other related “plastic film” items (bread bags, produce bags, dry cleaner bags, cereal box liners, plastic packaging on paper towels, ziplock bags, etc.), click here.
Print the Town of Acton What to Recycle Flyer.
Additional Resources