Guide to recycling at home
Garbage and recycling › Recycle 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.
Want to learn which materials can be recycled at home, which can't and why? Get the what, how and whys of residential recycling.
Please put the following together in your roll cart or in one recycling bin or container:
- Paper Learn more
- Plastic Learn more
- Metals Learn more
Place in a separate bin or container:
- Glass Learn more
Please, no plastic bags!
Find out why plastic bags can't be recycled at home and why glass must be separated from all other recyclables Learn more
If you live in a home ranging in size from a single-family residence to a four-plex, you can also set out additional items at the curb:
Motor oil
Never put motor oil in the garbage, sink or storm drain. Instead, recycle it next to your roll cart or bin in clear, leakproof plastic containers with tight screw-top lids. Clean, empty milk jugs or juice and soda bottles work well. Please, no containers larger than 1 gallon. Don't contaminate oil with other fluids.
Yard debris
Most communities in the metropolitan 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
- branches no more than 4 inches thick and 36 inches long, weeds, leaves, vines and grass
- house plants, cut flowers, fruits and vegetables
- pumpkins, but no candles from jack-o'-lanterns.
Do not include
- pet waste
- dirt, rocks or stumps
- ashes or treated wood
- plastic, metal or garbage
- branches more than 4 inches thick
- kitchen scraps, except in the city of Portland, where residents can add food waste to their green roll cart.
Related Links
Saving Little Pieces of Our Earth video
Ever wonder how recycling works? View a video that follows paper, aluminum, steel, plastic and glass through the recycling process - from your recycling bin to a material recovery center and then into new products.
Find a recycler
From packing peanuts to propane tanks, get sustainable solutions for unwanted materials using Metro's newly updated recycler directory.
Related Internet links
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Portland Composts!
(http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/index.cfm?c=47246)
Portland composts!
Beginning Oct. 31, 2011
Portland residents can throw food scraps in their green roll cart. Fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products are all fit for pickup. Find out more at Portland Composts! Go
Did you know?
Plastic bags and curbside carts don’t mix
This 30-second video shows the havoc plastic bags can cause when put in your curbside recycling bin. Instead, take them to one of the many stores and recycling depots that accept plastic bags, shrink-wrap and other stretchy plastic film.” Watch the video
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