Newspaper: All newspaper and print ads can be placed into the container after removing rubber bands and protective plastic delivery bags .

Magazines, Catalogs and Manuals: Magazines, catalogs and electronics/toy manuals are excellent materials to recycle at the curb. Remove plastic packaging prior to placing in the container.

Cardboard: Flatten boxes and cut down to pieces no larger than 3'x3'. Place cardboard in cardboard cage or central recycling container.

Wax-coated cardboard (example: freezer boxes) not accepted for recycling due to chemicals impregnating the fiber to repel moisture.

Milk Cartons/Aseptic Cartons: Rinse gable-topped milk containers throughly and open fully for drying. Soy milk/juice box (aseptic) cartons can be rinsed out and placed in the recycling container.

Discard plastic straws from drink boxes.

Scrap Paper: Secure junk mail and scrap and shredded paper in a brown bag to prevent wind from blowing litter in your neighborhood.

Scrap paper includes: unwanted mail, envelopes, fax paper, greeting cards, paper egg cartons, paper tubes, and cereal/cracker boxes.

Do not include tissue paper, paper towels, wax, foil, or plastic. No paper coated with food (pizza boxes).

Metal and Aerosol Cans: Rinse throughly and toss into the roll cart. Include all aluminum and tin/steel food cans. Aerosol paint cans accepted if completely empty. Do not flatten or puncture cans.

Plastic Packaging: Rinse all containers (tubs/packaging/pots) clean of food, beverage, or dirt residue.

* Buckets/containers/tubs - 6 oz to 5-gallons

   (metal/plastic handles ok)

* Rigid nursery plant pots 4" or larger

Scrap Metal: Include all metal smaller than 30" long and weighing less than 40 lbs.

Do not include metal that is contaminated with food or other non-metal materials (rubber, plastic, etc.)

Plastic Bags: Do not place plastic bags in recycling containers - they jam machinery and disrupt operations at the processing facility. Intead, recycle used plastic bags at grocery stores, use them to line your household waste baskets or use them to collect animal waste.

Plastic Caps, Lids and Tops: These items are not accepted in residential recycling. These items tend to slip between paper at the recovery facility and are inadvertantly directed to the paper mill. Lids that are less than 2" in diameter that don't mix with paper tend to falll through the sorting screens. Save lids to take to

a recycling depot or Master Recycler Plastics Roundup event.

Transparent plastic deli containers and "clamshell" or blister packaging (think

of rigid packaging requiring a knife to open) are not part of the residential recycling program. These materials can be stockpiled and recycled at a quarterly Master Recycler Plastics Roundup event.

Glass: GLASS BREAKS! When mixed with other recyclables, glass can damage machinery and pose a safety hazard to workers. Please check with your apartment manager for designated collection containers for glass or take glass to a recycling depot.

Block Styrofoam or Peanuts: Currently there are vendors who recycle block Styrofoam. To find the closest recycler, call Metro Recycling Information at

(503) 234-3000 or Find a Recycler.

Reuse Idea: Styrofoam peanuts are often accepted at local mailhouses for reuse.