Tip Your Lid
Your recycling roll cart is just one of the many tools available to help recover valuable resources. However, not all recyclable items can be put in your recycling cart. Materials such as Styrofoam, plastic bags/plastic film, clothing and carpet are recyclable or reusable, but need to be taken to designated recycling or reuse centers and not placed in your recycling roll cart.
Why should I 'Tip My Lid'?
To make the most of your recycling efforts, we ask that you "Tip Your Lid" and verify that the items in your roll cart really belong there. Eliminating unacceptable materials from your curbside recyclables improves the processing of recyclable materials at the processing facilities and ensures that your good efforts 'don't go to waste.'
Don't Put These Items in Your Recycling Roll Cart
- Plastic Bags/Film - This material tangles in sorting machinery making equipment inoperable. Recover this valuable resource by taking them to a local recycling drop off location or to your grocery store collection area.
- Styrofoam/Foam Packaging - This brittle material crumbles when mixed with other recyclables and creates a mess. Take foam peanuts to mail houses for reuse and recycle block pieces at these Portland facilities. Review their websites for hours, locations, other materials accepted and any associated fees.
Total Reclaim - www.totalreclaim.com/index.html
Recology - www.recologyoregonmaterialrecovery.com/suttleRoadRecyclingCenter.htm
- Apparel - Clothing and shoes are not accepted at the curb. Donate gently-used garments and shoes to non-profits in need.
- Carpet or Carpet Padding - Take these materials to a designated recycler near you.
- Electronics - Electronics contain dangerous compounds such as lead and cadmium. Take unwanted electronics to a designated electronics recycler. Televisions, laptop and desktop computers, and monitors are accepted at no charge at Oregon E-Cycles recyclers.
- Household Hazardous Waste (batteries, compact fluorescent lights, paint, sharps, etc.) - These materials can be harmful to people, animals, and the environment if not handled correctly at the end of their use. Take these items to Metro's Hazardous Waste collection facilities or neighborhood collection events.
Where can I take materials not accepted in the curbside recycling program?
- Take materials not included in curbside programs to recycling depots. Far West Fibers is a recycling business with public recycling drop-off facilities in Beaverton, Hillsboro and other Portland Metro area locations.
- Your collection company may also have a recycling depot.
- To learn which recyclers in your area accept specific items, search Metro's 'Find a Recycler' database. Be sure to call the facility ahead for location, hours and fees, if any.
What is accepted in my recycling cart or bin?
If you are not sure what materials are accepted in your program or how to prepare them for collection, print the instructions below and post it near your container. When in doubt-check it out. While this is an extra step, we hope residents will take a moment to revisit these preparation instructions to improve the quality of materials sent to recovery facilities.
Residential Recycling Preparation Instructions (English/Spanish)Plastic Bottles and Containers - tubs, bottles, nursery pots, and buckets
- Paper - all types of office paper and newspaper, cardboard and paperboard (cereal/cracker boxes)
- Metal – steel, aluminum and aerosol cans, and scrap metal up to 30 pounds in weight
What is accepted next to the recycling cart/bin?
- Glass – Set glass bottles and jars in a separate, rigid container next to your cart/bin.
- Motor Oil - Used motor oil accepted in one-gallon, see-through plastic containers with a screw-top lid.
