Residential Recycling Tips
September 21, 2018
What is Considered Recycling and What is Considered Trash in the City of Madison?
Everyone wants to recycle and help the planet! However, knowing what is recyclable and what is not can sometimes be tricky! Below is a helpful list of tips and tricks as to what is recyclable in the City of Madison. Some of the items even surprised us! We hope the list helps you to become a more responsible and efficient recycler!
Acceptable Recyclable Items
Clean paper products, including
- Cardboard (don’t forget about the cardboard cores from paper towel, bathroom tissue, etc.)
- Cereal and cracker boxes
- Corrugated cardboard
- Envelopes
- Gift wrap (but not tissue paper or paper foil)
- Greeting cards
- Juice boxes
- Junk mail
- Magazines and catalogs
- Newspapers and all inserts
- Office and computer paper
- Outer frozen food boxes
- Paper egg cartons
- Paper grocery bags
- Paper milk cartons, even if they have a plastic spout
- Paper backing off of retail packages
- Phone books
- Receipts and bills
- Soda cases
- Shredded paper should be in a clear or white bag. The bag of shredded paper should not be larger than a basketball.
Clean Glass Products (All glass colors accepted)
- Bottles with lids removed
- Jars with lids removed
Clean Plastic Products
- All plastic clamshell containers
- All plastic containers #1 thru #7
- Berry and deli containers
- Blister packs (the difficult to open packaging found on newly purchased toys and electronics)
- Bottles (lids should be left on)
- Condiment bottles and jars
- Cups #1, #2, or #5
- Dairy tub lids
- Dairy tubs (lids do not need to be left on)
- Frozen juice containers
- Jugs (lids should be left on)
- Laundry bottles (lids should be left on)
Clean Metal Products
- Aluminum cans
- Empty aerosol cans
- Empty paint cans and lids
- Metal lids from glass jars and bottles
- Metal pipe 18” in length and less
- Metal plumbing fixtures
- Other metal items weighing less than 10 pounds
- Pots and pans
- Small metal appliances, such as toasters, mixers, etc.
- Small metal items like bottle cops, bolts, spare keys, etc. can be placed into an empty tin can and the top of it tightly pinched closed
- Steel/tin cans
Recyclable Items that Should be Brought to the Drop Off Site
- Metal items weighing more than 10 pounds
- Car parts, like brake pads
- Wire hangers
- Chain link fencing
- Household batteries ( be sure to separate lithium batteries from other batteries)
- Lead acid batteries
- Corded electronics
- Electronics such as TVs, computers, printers, cell phones, etc.
- Molded bricks of Styrofoam
- Wire hangers
Other Recyclable Items that the City will not accept but is recyclable:
- Clothing: Can be recycled and/or reused by donating to St. Vincent de Paul, Goodwill, or another local donation opportunity
Unacceptable Items to Recycle:
- Diapers
- Photographs
- Sanitary napkins
- Wet Paper
- Soiled and/or stained cardboard and paper products (i.e. take-out containers and donut boxes, pizza boxes)
- Styrofoam
- Paper coffee cups
- Tissue paper
- Baking dishes
- Bottles and jars with food or other products still inside them
- Ceramics
- Chemical bottles
- Dishes and bowls
- Drinking glasses
- Flower pots
- Incandescent & LED light bulbs (fluorescent bulbs/tubes may be taken to retailer that sells them for recycling)
- Household glass such as window panes and mirrors
- Laboratory glass
- Windows and mirrors
- Any plastic container with food or other products still inside them
- Rigid plastics, such as from a 5-gallon bucket or a plastic waste basket
- Bubble wrap
- Cups if they are #3, #4, #6, or #7
- Dark green or black bags
- Drawstring bags
- Food wrap (i.e. cling wrap)
- Motor oil bottles
- Wrapping from meat products
- Aerosol cans
- Hypodermic needles
- Plastic Bags *Plastic bags should be recycled by returning them to the grocery, pharmacy, or big box store where you received them where they have specific bins for the recycling of plastic bags
Interested in learning more? Visit http://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/recycling/ or https://www.advanceddisposal.com/for-mother-earth/recycling-tips-trivia/recycle-right.aspx to learn more about how to be an all-star recycler!