Acceptable Materials and Preparation

Recyclable Paper

Put all recyclable paper together in a paper bag and place in or beside your recycling bin. Do not mix paper with containers.

	Newspaper
	Yes Glossy inserts and magazines are OK. May be put together with other paper types.	No Plastic bags, products samples, plastic wrap or string.
	Corrugated Cardboard & Boxboard multi-layer cartons and single-layer cardboard
	Yes Clean corrugated boxes; pizza boxes; paper grocery bags; cereal, cracker, cake mix, pasta, shoe and tissue boxes; paper egg cartons. Remove plastic liners. Flatten boxboard and put in paper bag with other papers. Flatten corrugated cardboard. Pieces must be no larger than 4ft. X 4ft. X 1.5ft. high for curbside pickup. Stack next to or in recycling bin.	No Wax- or plastic-coated boxes, wood, plastic or string. No leftover food. No boxes from wet foods, such as ice cream, frozen foods or take-out foods.
	Mixed Paper includes white office paper
	Yes Opened mail, white and colored office paper, magazines, flyers, posters, fax paper, non-metalic wrapping paper and cards, spiral notebooks, manila folders, phone books, soft cover books. Staples, paper clips, rubber bands and plastic windows are OK.	No Carbon paper, blueprint paper, overhead transparencies, string, Tyvek® envelopes, waxed paper, photo paper, or non-paper items, such as product samples, credit cards and computer disks.

Recyclable Containers

Put all containers in the same recycling bin. Do not mix with paper.

	Glass Bottles and Jars clear, green & brown bottles and jars.
	Yes Food and beverage containers only. Discard lids and caps. Rinse clean. Labels and neck rings are OK.	No Plastic bags, plate glass, drinking glasses, crystal, Pyrex®, Visionware®, light bulbs or tubes, medicine bottles, ceramics, hazardous product bottles, canning jars, wire caps or lids.
	Metal Cans and Aluminum Foil
	Yes Rinse clean. Place metal lids inside can and pinch top together. Labels are OK. Aerosol cans must be empty: dispose of caps and use contents up according to directions. Save aerosol pesticides for the D.E.P.O.T. Drop-off program.	No Plastic bags, food residue, pesticide cans, syringes, gas or propane containers.
	Plastic Bottles and Jugs
	Yes #1 through #7 plastic bottles and jugs, in addition to #5 wide-mouth containers such as yogurt containers and butter tubs.  Includes household products, beverage or food containers.  Top opening must be smaller than base except yogurt and butter containers. Labels and neck rings are OK.	No Wide-mouth, stackable containers (except #5); no take-out containers, microwave trays, lids, toys, pails or six-pack rings; pesticide containers; automotive oil-based product bottles; plastic bags. No Styrofoam®.  Do not tie the jugs with string.
	Paper Milk and Juice Cartons
	Yes Paper milk and juice cartons; drink boxes and soy milk containers. Rinse cartons, drain and flatten, if possible. Discard lids from cartons and straws from drink boxes. Put cartons in recycling bin with other recyclable containers.	No Plastic screw-on tops, drinking straws or food residue. Please do not put cartons in with recyclable paper

How to prepare mixed containers:

• Please put all recyclable containers together in one bin for curbside collection
• Remove and discard all lids
• Rinse and drain all containers
• Labels and neck rings are acceptable
• If possible, flatten milk cartons and drink boxes
• Remove straws from drink boxes
• Do NOT mix containers with paper
• Stack yogurt and margarine containers together

For curbside collection, please place all mixed containers in one bin. Businesses may put two recycling bins worth of materials out for curbside collection.

*Please Note:

In Tompkins County, it is mandatory for businesses to recycle the following materials: office paper, newspaper, corrugated cardboard, glass bottles and jars, and metal food and beverage containers.