What Can I Recycle?
Through advances in recycling technology, you have more options than ever. And it's a good thing because we need to conserve as much of our resources as possible. In this section, you'll learn about which materials you can and can't put in your bin.
See how the actions you take affect the environment.
Experience MoreWhat can I place in my recycling bin?
Plastics
What's Widely Accepted?
Products labeled Code 1 and Code 2 are widely accepted at recycling facilities. Please be sure they're clean.
Code 1 (PET or PETE)
-
Examples: Soft drink and water bottles. Containers for salad dressing, vegetable oil, and peanut butter. Oven-ready meal trays.
-
Recyclability: Widely accepted by curbside recycling programs. Please remove caps.
-
Note: Black microwave trays are Code 1 but may not be mixed with other Code 1s such as clear or green soda, water, or salad dressing bottles. Check with your municipality to find out if black microwave trays are accepted for recycling.
-
Used to make polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, and new containers.
-
It takes 700 years before a plastic bottle begins to decompose in a landfill.
Code 2 (HDPE)
-
Examples: Milk jugs. Juice bottles. Bottles for bleach, laundry detergent, some household cleansers. Motor oil bottles. Butter, oleomargarine, and yogurt tubs. Cereal box liners.
-
Recyclability: Picked up through most curbside recycling programs, although most allow only those containers with necks. Please remove caps.
-
Used to make laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing.
To learn more about other plastic codes, mouse over
the symbols below.