Preparing Recyclables

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Preparing Recyclables

Curbside recycling is easy! Just follow the basic instructions below. We will provide you with one Curby recycling bin for glass only and a blue recycling cart for all other recycling materials. Please do not place glass in the blue recycle cart. Recycle only those items that are listed. Other items or trash will contaminate your recyclables and may make them unusable.

Recycle in Cart

Paper and cardboard

  • Flattened cardboard
  • Cereal, cracker and shoe boxes
  • Magazines and phone books
  • Mail and office paper
  • Paper egg cartons
  • Newspapers
  • Paper bags
  • Paper rolls

Tip :  Cardboard boxes should be placed inside the cart. Flatten and cut boxes to a size that will fit and fall out loosely

Tip Put your small scrap paper items and shredded paper in a brown paper bag or box before placing in the cart. This will help reduce litter when the cart is emptied on windy days.

Plastic

  • Plastic bottles, jars, jugs and tubs – 6 ounces or larger
  • Rigid plastic nursery plant pots – 4 inches across or larger
  • Plastic buckets

Metal

  • Clean steel, aluminum & tin cans and lids
  • Clean foil items
  • Empty aerosol cans
  • Other small metal items under 30 lbs. and less than 30 inches

Unacceptable Materials

  • Paper cups and plates
  • Napkins and paper towels
  • Food-soiled paper
  • Frozen food boxes
  • Plastic bags
  • Plastic clamshells and trays
  • Hazardous waste bottles
  • Styrofoam blocks and packing peanuts
  • Ceramics
  • Motor oil bottles or containers that have come in contact with pesticides or herbicides
  • Plastic toys
  • Plastic lids
  • Computers, monitors or TV’s
  • Liquids
  • Fluorescent lights

Near Cart :

Glass

Bottles & Jars
Place in Curby bin to the side of the recycle cart.
Tip: Equipment at Oregon and Washington paper mills is damaged when glass shards are mixed in with recyclable paper. Always keep glass bottles and jars out of the cart.
No lids, mirrors, light bulbs, broken glass, drinking glasses, flower vases, ceramics or window glass.

Motor Oil

  • Put in transparent one gallon jug with a screw top lid to the side of the recycle cart.
  • Do not mix motor oil with other liquids.
  • No cooking oil.

Setting out your bins and carts

Please leave a space of 3 feet between your cans and carts, and, when possible, leave a space of 10 feet between your cart and cars, trees, mail boxes and basketball hoops. We use trucks with automated collection arms and that spacing is needed for them to function effectively. All cans and carts must be placed within three feet of the curb.
Your recyclables, garbage and yard debris should be out on the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.

Tip You don’t need to put your recycling cart out for collection every week. Put it out only when it is full. That saves you time and energy, and makes the collection system more efficient.

Your recyclables, garbage and yard debris should be out on the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
Tip You don’t need to put your recycling cart out for collection every week. Put it out only when it is full. That saves you time and energy, and makes the collection system more efficient.

Want more information?

See the City of Gresham’s web site or contact us

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