Single-Stream Drop-off Centers

Boulder County Drop-off Centers (DOC)

Single-Stream recycling is a processing method used at the Boulder County Recycling Center that accepts recyclable materials in one bin. All recycling drop-off centers operated by Boulder County accept single-stream recycling with a separate box for Corrugated Cardboard and Brown Paper Bags.

Cardboard Boxes & Brown Paper Bags

Cardboard boxes and brown paper bags are collected in a separate bin. This helps reduce costs for transportation and processing.

Corrugated Cardboard

Single-Stream Recycling

All recyclable materials are combined in one recycling bin.

Single Stream

• NO Plastic bags
• Magazines and catalogs
• Newspaper and inserts
• Mail, office paper and blueprints
• Adding machine tape, blueprints, brochures/pamphlets, computer printouts, FAX paper, file folders (manila or pastel-colored only), greeting cards, index cards, letterhead, loose-leaf paper, memos & sticky notes (pastel-colored, no fluorescent colors), legal pad paper (pastel-colored), slick/glossy ads & brochures, stationery & letters, white and pastel-colored paper & envelopes.
• Paperboard. Includes cereal and cracker boxes (throw away inside bag), gift boxes, hanging file folders, paper egg cartons, paper tubes (e.g. paper towel tubes), shoe boxes, six-pack and 12-pack cartons/boxes, facial tissue boxes.
• Paperback books (no hard cover books)
• Phone books
• Aluminum – do not crush or flatten cans, ball clean foil to 2 inches or larger (no flat or small balled up foil, please)
• Glass bottles & jars – please rinse, labels are okay, remove and recycle metal lids/caps, avoid breaking glass
• Steel/tin cans – please rinse, pinch the open end of cans slightly, labels are okay
• Empty aerosol cans
• Plastic bottles, jugs, tubs and screw top jars – the shape is important. Includes milk jugs, soda bottles, shampoo bottles, etc. Empty all liquids and rinse. Plastic caps (small, round caps) can be replaced onto empty plastic bottles and jugs for recycling. Plastic lids (thin, flat) from tubs and jars are not recyclable. Please remove lids and throw them away. Metal caps and lids can be recycled loose; do not reattach to bottle.
• Paper milk/soy cartons/drink boxes – please rinse. Do not flatten.

Keep ‘Em Out

These items are by far the worst recycling contaminants we see come across our conveyor belts at the Boulder County Recycling Center. Please help make single-stream recycling a success by keeping these materials out of the recycling bins.

Keep ‘Em Out

• NO Materials in plastic bags
• NO Shredded paper*
• NO Scrap metal
• NO Hazardous Waste
• NO Diapers or bio-hazardous waste
• NO Plastics other than those specified (NO Styrofoam, plastic cups)
• NO Flattened plastic, metal or paper milk/juice carton containers
• NO Caps or lids on GLASS bottles or jars
• NO Liquids
• NO Ceramics or non-recyclable glass (like drinking glasses, light bulbs)
• NO Frozen food boxes

*At the Boulder County Recycling Drop-off Center at 1901 63^rd St., there is a dedicated drop-off bin for shredded paper.