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.

Battery Recycling

Household batteries are now accepted for recycling at the curb for no additional charge for single family residential customers. Batteries need to be prepared properly and placed in your glass Curby bin on your regularly scheduled pick-up day. If you have glass in your bin, please ensure the bag of batteries is placed clearly on top of the glass.

Please DO NOT place batteries into your recycling cart.

  • Alkaline batteries such as AAA, AA, D (don't need ends taped)
  • 6-volt - 9-volt batteries (ends taped)
  • Button batteries used in watches and cameras (ends taped)
  • Rechargeable batteries and battery packs used in laptops, cell phones, etc (ends taped)
  • Household quantities only, maximum 1-quart bag per pick-up.

Preparation:

  • Use clear tape to cover ends of the non-alkaline batteries, this will prevent the batteries from accidentally shorting out and potentially causing a fire (you do not need to tape alkaline batteries, all others should be taped).
  • Put batteries in a zip-sealed plastic bag and place the bag in your red bin. Please wait until you have a full bag before putting it out for the driver. If your red bin is full of glass, place the bag on top. If you do not have glass to set out, still place your red bin out and put the bag of batteries inside the bin.

Please note: NO car batteries or other lead-acid batteries are allowed.

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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