What can be recycled?

April 13th, 2009 Alex

I am sure many people wonder what we can really recycle and put in the recycling bin and what can’t be recycled. Usually items that can be recycled have the recycle triangle on the item somewhere and if it doesn’t have it, then most likely it can’t be recycled. Different cities also have different recycling programs but for the most part, the items that cannot be recycled are usually pretty similar. For example, in South San Francisco where I live, we have just one recycling bin that we put everything which makes it really convenient for us. The items will get sorted at the collection center but it doesnt hurt to help them out some more.

Here are 3 links that have some pretty useful information from the cities of San Francisco, South San Francisco, and Palo Alto.

San Francisco

South San Francisco

Palo Alto

Here is the most detailed list out of the three cities above of items that are not recyclable.　

NOT ACCEPTED

• Paper, plastic or foil with food residue
• Waxy/coated cardboard
• Aseptic containers (e.g., milk/juice cartons, drink boxes and pouches)
• Film plastic (e.g., plastic bags, shrink wrap, bubble wrap)
• Plate glass (e.g., window panes, mirrors)
• Ceramics, porcelain
• Light bulbs
• Glassware (e.g., Pyrex®)
• Hardback books
• Blueprints
• Photographs
• Thermal fax paper
• Frozen food boxes/cartons
• (e.g., ice cream)
• Carbon paper
• Metallic paper
• Paper napkins/towels
• Tyvek envelopes (e.g., overnight mailing packages)
• Polystyrene (a.k.a. Styrofoam® blocks/”peanuts”, food containers/cups)
• Plastic pipe/tubing

 

Entry Filed under: Local,Recycling