Materials Accepted and Preparation Instructions

A list of typical materials that are accepted for recycling and how to prepare them for recycling.

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No Plastic Bags

Materials placed in plastic bags cannot be accepted in recycling containers hauled by the City of St. Louis.  Residents can use plastic bags to transport their recyclables to a recycling container, but the bag itself should not be placed inside of the recycling container.  Plastic bags become entangled in the equipment used to sort the recyclables and can cause breakdowns and damage to the machinery.  Since there is no way to secure them, they also contribute to littering and debris.  Please reuse them or recycle them at your local grocery or retail store.  For more information about plastic bags, go to http://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/street/refuse/recycle/plasticbags.cfm.

Commingled Containers

MATERIAL SPECIAL INSTRUCTION
 ACCEPTED NOT ACCEPTED
Aluminum Packaging

aluminum

 Rinse containers.
 Bottles, cans, foil, food trays, pie plates, and pull tabs or tops.
 Non-container aluminum (e.g., scrap metal, outdoor or patio furniture, gutters or siding).
Aseptic Packaging

aseptic

 Rinse containers.
 Boxes and pouches (e.g., juice, soy milk, broth, stock, etc.).
  
Gable Top Containers

gabletop

 Rinse containers.
 Cartons (e.g., juice, milk, candy, etc.)
 Cartons coated or lined with wax, plastic, or foil.
Glass Bottles, Jars, and Jugs

glass

 Remove caps and lids.  Avoid breaking if possible.  Rinse containers.
 Brown, clear, and green bottles, jars, and jugs.
 Bakeware; ceramics; cookware; dishes; drinking glasses; lightbulbs; mirrors; plate glass (e.g., windows); Pyrex; black, blue, red, or white glass products.
Plastic Packaging

plastics

 Remove caps and lids not marked with a #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7.  It's not necessary to remove neck rings.  Rinse containers.  Flatten to reduce storage space, transportation costs, and pollution.
 Plastic packaging marked with #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, and #7 that contained beverages, food, body care products, household cleaners, etc.
 Plastic bags, film, or wrap.  Bottles or jugs that contained antifreeze, cooking oil, motor oil, or hazardous materials.  Disposable diapers.  "Styrofoam," foam, or polystyrene (plastic #6).  Non-container plastics (e.g., hangers, baskets, toys).  Unmarked plastic containers.  Utensils (e.g., straws, forks, spoons, knives).  Corrugated plastic board.
Steel Bottles and Cans

steel

 Rinse containers.
 Bottles and cans that contained coffee, beverages, fruits, soups, vegetables, and aerosol cans.  Include steel lids.
 Oil cans, paint cans, cans that contained hazardous materials, and non-container steel (e.g., scrap metal, furniture, hangers, license plates).


Papers

Must be clean and dry.  No food contaminated materials.

 

MATERIAL ACCEPTED NOT ACCEPTED
Books

phonebook

 Telephone books and paperback books.
 Hardback books.
Catalogs, Magazines, and Newspapers

magazines

 Catalogs, glossy or slick paper, advertising flyers, paper inserts.
 Plastic bags or wrappers, string, twine.
Mixed Papers

officepaper

 Colored paper, copier paper, printer paper, envelopes (including plastic windows), folders (without metal or plastic), gift or holiday wrapping paper (no foil-type), packing paper, stationery, unwanted mail, white paper.

Note:  Shredded paper is accepted.  However, to avoid windblown litter, it's helpful if it's stuffed inside of recyclable paper (e.g., envelope, non-Kraft paper shopping bag, etc.).

 Binders; binder clips; carbon paper; construction paper; decorations, such as bows, ribbons, string, twine, etc.; paper egg cartons; facial, sanitary, or toilet tissue; food wrappers; notebooks; plastic coated, laminated, or lined paper; plastic coated or lined pet food bags; plastic sheet protectors; rubber bands; thermal or treated paper (e.g. fax paper); tissue paper; trays that carried beverages or food (e.g., with cup slots); wall paper.

Cardboard

PLEASE FLATTEN BOXES to reduce storage space, transportation costs, and pollution.  Must be clean and dry.  Remove contents or packing materials.

MATERIAL SPECIAL INSTRUCTION
 ACCEPTED NOT ACCEPTED
Carrier Stock

carrierstock

 Flatten boxes. Boxes that contained beer or soda.
  
Chipboard / Paperboard

paperboard

 Flatten boxes. Boxes that contained cake mixes, cereals, crackers, dry foods, food mixes, paper supplies, shoes.
 Boxes or cartons that are coated or lined with wax, plastic, or foil (e.g., frozen food).
Corrugated Cardboard

boxes

 Flatten boxes. Corrugated boxes, brown (aka Kraft) paper (e.g., grocery bags, lunch bags, wrapping paper for shipping packages).
 Cardboard canisters with metal rings (such as nut canisters), food contaminated boxes (such as pizza boxes), trays that carried beverages or food (e.g., with cup slots).




COLLECTION METHOD
 DESCRIPTION MATERIALS THAT MUST BE SEPARATED
Single-Stream Mix all recyclables in one container.
 Recyclables must be separate from trash.
Triple-Stream Separate recyclables into three containers.
 Commingled Containers; Papers; Cardboard.

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