Recyclable Materials

Recyclable Materials

These items are all recyclable at local recycling drop-off centers including the Boulder County Recycling Center and through curbside recycling collection programs. Scrap metal is not accepted for drop-off at the Boulder County Recycling Center.
Single Stream Recycling Guidelines

Recycling poster showing what is recyclable. List follows.

Please keep paper products post-card sized or bigger

  • Brown paper bags
  • Magazines
  • Catalogs
  • Newspaper
  • Phone books
  • Paperback books (no hardcover books)
  • Notepads/spiral-bound notebooks (remove hard plastic covers)
  • Loose-leaf paper

Please flatten all paperboard items

  • Cardboard boxes
  • Cereal/cracker boxes
  • Gift/shoe boxes
  • Hanging file folders
  • Paper egg cartons
  • Paper tubes
    • Toilet paper tubes
    • Paper towel tubes
  • Six-pack and 12-pack cartons/boxes
  • Soap/facial tissue boxes

Please keep paper products post-card sized or bigger

  • Blueprints
  • Brochures/pamphlets
  • Computer printouts
  • Fax paper
  • File folders
    • Manila or pastel-colored only
  • Greeting cards
  • Index cards
  • Letterhead
  • Memos and sticky notes
    • pastel-colored, NO fluorescent or neon colors
  • Legal pad paper
    • pastel-colored
  • Slick/glossy ads and brochures
  • Stationery and letters
  • White and pastel-colored paper and envelopes
    • No need to remove window from envelopes

Containers must be emptied and rinsed before recycling

  • Aluminum cans
    • Do not crush or flatten
  • Aluminum foil
    • Shape foil into balls 2 inches or larger
  • Aluminum food trays
  • Glass bottles & jars
    • Labels are okay
    • Remove and recycle metal lids/caps
    • Avoid breaking glass.
  • Mason jars
  • Steel/tin cans
    • Labels are okay
    • Pinch the open end of cans slightly
    • Do not crush or flatten
  • Empty aerosol cans
  • Paper-based food and beverage cartons
    • Do not flatten
  • Paper-based drink boxes
    • Do not flatten

Containers must be emptied and rinsed before recycling

NO plastic bags

  • #1PETE, #2 HDPE, #5 PP bottles, tubs, jugs and jars
  • #5 sturdy souvenir cups
  • Water/soda bottles
    • Attach plastic screw-top caps
  • Laundry detergent bottles
  • Shampoo bottles
  • Soap bottles
  • Vitamin bottles
  • Medication bottles
    • Must be larger than 2 inches in diameter
  • Milk jugs
  • Yogurt tubs
  • Berry containers
    • Remove liner
  • #1PETE, #2 HDPE, #5 PP Clamshell containers
  • Plastic tub lids
  • Plastic flowerpots
  • Hard plastic four and six-pack holders
  • Plastic lawn toys
    • Remove metal axels
    • All materials MUST fit in curbside bin
  • Plastic crates
  • Buckets
    • Metal handles are okay

Items That Are Not Recyclable in Single Stream Recycling Bins

Boulder County does not accept the materials listed below for recycling.

Poster that show which items cannot be recycled. List follows.

If these items are not reusable, please place them in the trash.

  • Plastic-coated paper products
  • Hard cover books (recycle at Eco-Cycle CHaRM facility)
  • Thermal fax paper
  • Receipts
  • Wrapping paper containing foil coating or glitter
  • Sheets of address labels or stickers
  • Kraft or Tyvek envelopes
  • Pet food/charcoal/fertilizer bags
  • Frozen food container boxes
  • Carbon paper
  • Photographs
  • Wrapping & tissue paper
  • Facial tissues/napkins
  • Paper towels
  • Waxed paper
  • Paper plates
  • Paper cups
  • “Neon” fluorescent or dark-colored paper
  • Construction paper
  • Shredded paper

If these items are not reusable or are broken, please throw them in the trash.

  • #3 PVC, #6 PS, #7 PC plastic items
  • Block foam packaging (recycle #6 white block foam at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM facility)
  • Plastic cups (e.g. Solo cups)
  • Compostable serviceware
  • Foam to-go containers
  • Flattened cans and containers
    • Items must be 3-dimensional or “round”
  • Frozen food containers
  • Drink pouches/straws
  • Ceramics (can be recycled at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM facility)
  • Vases
  • Dishes
  • Drinking glasses (can be recycled at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM facility)
  • Incandescent light bulbs
  • LED light bulbs (can be recycled at the Hazardous Materials Management Facility)
  • Fluorescent tubes, including CFLs (compact fluorescent light), should be taken to the Hazardous Materials Management Facility
  • Mirrors
  • Window or auto glass
  • Empty plastic motor oil bottles
  • Plastic film/Cling wrap
  • Plastic bags. If bags are clean, dry, and empty they can be recycled at most grocery stores or at Eco-Cycle’s CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)
  • Plastic lotion/toothpaste tubes

Contact Us

Resource Conservation Division

720-564-2220
resourceconservation@bouldercounty.gov

Location

Boulder County Recycling Center
1901 63rd St.
Boulder, CO 80301
Map and Directions
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday

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