What Goes Where? The Recycling Conundrum

We all know recycling is good for our environment and our communities, but it can get confusing. How do you know what can be recycled? And how should you recycle it? Check out the recycling tips and website links below to answer these questions.

Paper: Paper is recyclable. Include mail, office paper and envelopes, booklets and magazines cardboard (free of food waste), cake, cracker and cereal boxes (remove the insert that held the food and flatten the box to save space). Paper you cannot recycle includes carbon paper, wax paper and tissue paper.

Plastic: Plastics with a 1 or 2 on the bottom of the container are usually recyclable. These include beverage bottles*, shampoo bottles, cleaning bottles, and some food containers. Plastics not usually recyclable include margarine and yogurt type containers and plastic cutlery.

Aluminum: Recycle soda and juice cans, aluminum foil, pie tins, bottle caps, and other aluminum items. To recycle cans, rinse them and remove any labels. Crushing them will create more space for storage.

Glass: Glass bottles and jars may be recycled once the lids and caps are removed. No need to remove labels. Typically, treated glass (like broken plates and colored glass), window glass and incandescent light bulbs are not accepted.

Cell Phones: Recycle your used cell phones by taking them to your service provider or a store such as Staples or Best Buy, which has a drop bin for phones. You could also find a local charity that takes used cell phone donations. Either way, make sure you clear all personal data and information from the phone before recycling it.

What about composting? If you live in the CIty of Seattle, put all your food scraps, moldy leftovers, greasy pizza boxes and dirty napkins in your Food & Yard waste cart. It gets turned into rich compost, which closes the loop – feeding the soil to help grow more food and support the environment.

Still confused? (You’re not alone.) Check out the SPU website search set up to help you figure out Where It Goes.

Still have questions? The Seattle Public Utilities website has more answers.

If you prefer mobile apps, “Recycle it” is a smartphone and tablet app that offers Seattle Public Utilities solid waste customers convenient access to information about their recycling, compost, and garbage services. Customers can find their collection day, get answers to common recycling questions, and report some service issues.  iPhone users can download the app from the App Store and Android users can download the app from the Google Play Store. You can also search either store for “Seattle Garbage and Recycling.”  

Thanks for doing your part!