Metro: Guide to recycling at home

Guide to recycling at home

Whether you live in a house, duplex or apartment, find out what you can recycle at home and how.

Do you want to know more about what materials can be recycled at home, what can't and why? What can you do to ensure that what you put in your recycling container gets recycled? Here are the what, how and whys of residential recycling.

Please place the following together in your roll cart or in one recycling bin or container:

In a separate bin or container:

Please, no plastic bags!

Find out why plastic bags can't be recycled at home and why glass needs to be set out separately from all other recyclables...Learn more

If you live in a home that ranges in size from a single-family residence to a four-plex, you can also set out additional items at the curb:

Motor oil

Pour used oil into a clear, leak-proof, see-through plastic container with a screw-top lid. (Clean, empty milk jugs, juice or soda bottles work well). Please, no containers larger than one gallon. Make sure the lid is tight. Don't contaminate oil with other fluids. Never put motor oil in the garbage or pour it onto the ground or down storm drains. Leave containers of used motor oil next to your recycling containers at the curb. If you live in an apartment, you have to drop off motor oil for recycling. For information about where to recycle motor oil, call Metro Recycling Information or visit the Find a recycler web page... Find a recycler

Yard debris

Most communities in the metro area offer curbside yard debris collection, but service varies. Call your garbage hauler or local government solid waste and recycling office for information.

Include in your yard debris container

Weeds, leaves, vines, grass, branches and twigs (no more than four inches in diameter and 36 inches long), house plants, cut flowers, fruit and vegetables from your garden or trees, pumpkins (don't include candles if they have been carved for Halloween)

Do not include

Dirt, rocks, pet waste, stumps, ashes, plastics, metal, garbage, treated wood, branches thicker than four inches in diameter, or any food from your kitchen

Need assistance?

Metro Recycling Information
503-234-3000
mri@oregonmetro.gov

Did you know?

Why you can't recycle plastic bags at the curb

Plastic bags don't mix well with other recyclables. They cause problems with sorting equipment at recycling plants. One plant reports that it takes about 12 labor hours per day to clean plastic bags out of the sorting screens. In addition, most work related injuries happen while cleaning out plastic bags from the equipment.

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