Tips to Reduce Recycling and Organics Contamination

Did you know that recycling and organics services are designed to manage specific items such as bottles, cans, paper, cardboard, plant debris, and food scraps? Putting non-recyclables or non-compostables items in the recycling or organics containers contaminates them. If the container has too much trash, it can’t be recycled or composted. Please keep trash out of the recycling and organics containers.

These Three Offenders Always Go in the Garbage!

  • Flimsy/soft plastic, including bundled plastic bags and plastic wrap.

  • Tip: Bundled plastic can be recycled at participating retail stores like Safeway, Lucky’s, Sprouts, Walmart, Target, and Kohls.  Please contact your local store to check if it participates in the bundled plastic recycling program. 

  • Polystyrene/foam plastic, such as foam takeout food containers.

  • Coated paper, such as paper plates, paper cups, paper takeout containers.

LANDFILL
垃圾 · BASURA · RÁC

NO recyclables
or compostables.

Landfill - to go containers

To go containers &
microwavable food trays

Landfill - food packaging

Food &
drink packaging

Landfill - household goods

Household items
Hangers/wires (tanglers), clothes, diapers/pet waste, toys,
dishware & furniture

RECYCLABLES
回收 · RECICLAR · TÁI CHẾ

NO food or liquids.
NO mixed material packaging
or plastic bags.

Dry paper &
cardboard

Recycle - glass and metal

Glass bottles & jars
Metal cans
Food & beverage containers
must be empty

Recycle - plastics

Plastic
Rigid containers – Size must be
at least 4 inches and must be empty

COMPOSTABLES
堆肥 · ABONO · PHÂN HỮU CƠ

NO liquids, glass, metal.
NO plastic of any kind, including
biodegradable / compostable plastic.

Compost - food soiled paper

Food-soiled paper &
shredded paper

Plant debris &
untreated/raw wood

Compost - food scraps

Food scraps