Loose in the Bin…Not Bagged

Oct 16, 2019 | Recycling Explained

Keep it Loose!

Mixed Recycling should be placed LOOSE inside your bin… NOT bagged. 

At Millennium, everything runs through sorting equipment designed to separate materials by type. For that to work, items need to move freely so the equipment can “see” them.

When materials are bagged:

  • The equipment can’t sort them
  • Bags often get pulled out as trash
  • Or someone has to stop and open them by hand

RECYCLE LOOSE IN THE BIN – DO NOT BAG:

  • Paper: Office paper, newspaper, brown paper bags, envelopes, magazines, flyers, junk mail, brochures, catalogs, paper cups, and small quantities of paperback books or phone books
  • Cardboard and cartons: Corrugated cardboard boxes, brown paper bags, paper egg cartons, paperboard boxes, paper take-out containers, coffee cup sleeves, cereal boxes, tissue boxes, paper cups, milk and juice cartons
  • Plastic bottles, tubs and jugs: Soda, water, juice, detergent, shampoo, lotion bottles, milk jugs, margarine and yogurt tubs
  • Metal Cans: Soup, Tuna, Soda, Beer, Vegetable Cans. Empty Aerosol Cans if completely empty of contents. Aluminum foil and trays.
  • Glass bottles and jars:  Jam, pickle, pasta sauce, baby food jars, olive oil, beer, wine, ketchup bottles (Glass is not accepted by all haulers or cities)
  • Learn more about mixed recycling “Yes Items”: here

Recycle loose in the bin. Don’t bag it.

Not sure about something?

Use the BINfluencer “Where Do I Take This?” tool to look it up. If it’s not there, just ask — better to check than guess.