Breadcrumb

Acceptable Materials for Landfill

Due to changing guidelines the following items are not currently being accepted for composting

Due to changing guidelines the following items are not currently being accepted for composting

No paper towels, napkins, or tissues
do not put them in the recycling bin... the paper quality is too low to be recycled and there is often food residue on them
No cloth, plastic coated, or other types of rags
No wood

Due to changing guidelines the following items are not currently being accepted for composting

NO certified compostable plastics, even if they have the following identifiers:
- BPI Certified
- #7 PLA on the plastic
- the word "Compostable"

Plastic Bags are a "Hard to Recycle" item
Bags need to be kept seperate, clean, and dry
Take bags to a special place for recycling: CHaRM, Grocery Stores, Home Depot
Do not put bags in your normal recycling bin
Bags get caught in recycling sorting equipment and cause machines to break/bind up
Avoid plastic bags and bring reusable bags wherever you go

Frozen food boxes have a "chemical wet strength" barrier that soaks through paper fibers
"Wet strength" is used to prevent freezer burn or leakage in transport
This chemical also contaminates the paper recycling process when mixed with normal paper fibers
Some companies make recyclable frozen food boxes, but most frozen boxes are not recyclable so keep them out of the recycling

"Film Plastics" or thin plastic films cannot be recycled in your normal recycling bin
Wrappers and packets cannot be easily seperated with sorting equipment
Wrappers and packets often do not have an end market to turn into a new product
Some companies, like Teracycle, have options if wrappers are kept seperate and shipped directly to them

Styrofoam is not acceptable in your normal recycling bin
#6PS (PolyStyrene) Block Foam is a "Hard to Recycle" item and has to be kept seperate, clean, and dry to be recycled at a special location (CHaRM in Boulder)
Styrofoam serving ware (cups, plates, to-go boxes, utensils, etc) cannot be recycled and must go to the landfill
Styrofoam packing peanuts cannot be recycled. Please put them in a bag (so they don't fly away into the creek) and put them in the landfill bin

Neon, Goldenrod, and any Heavily Dyed paper is not recyclable
The paper fibers have too much dye to be removed without a lot of chemicals, if at all
Imagine putting a red sock in your white laundry load... it will dye the rest of the paper and ruin a batch that is being recycled

Ceramics contaminate the glass recycling process
Ceramics have a different melting temperature than glass
If mixed with glass during recycling, ceramics cause impurities in the glass, causing it to break
Donate any dishware, mugs, or reusable dishware to your local thrift store
Ceramics cannot be recycled themselves and must be put in the landfill

These glass types all contaminate the glass recycling process
They have a different melting temperature than glass
If mixed with glass, these items will cause impurities in the glass, causing it to break
Donate any reusable mirrors to your local thrift store
Mirrors cannot be recycled themselves and must be put in the landfill
Light Bulbs can be taken to a hard to recycle location or must be put in the landfill
Glass Panes can be taken to a hard to recycle location or must be put in the landfill

Lab Glass and Pyrex Glass have different melting temperatures than glass in drinking bottles
Any amount of these items will contaminate the glass drinking bottle recycling process
There are currently not any markets to use recycled lab glass or pyrex, so they must go into the landfill