Blue Cart & Recycling Drop-off Center: Accepted Materials

Materials that are accepted in the Chicago Blue Cart Program & Recycling Drop-off Centers:

  • Glass jars and bottles
  • Aluminum cans, foil and pie tins
  • Tin or Steel cans
  • Cereal boxes, paper towel rolls
  • Cardboard (flatten all boxes)
  • Plastic bottles and containers (# 1-5, 7 accepted)
  • Junk mail, magazines and catalogs
  • Telephone books
  • Paper bags
  • Office paper and file folders
  • Newspaper and inserts
  • Beverage cartons (milk, juice, soy cartons)
  • Beverage carrier stock: plastic rings and cardboard carrying cases
  • wrapping paper (no bows or ribbons, please)
  • paper greeting cards

Find a Residential Recycling Drop Off Center

 

Materials that are NOT accepted in the Blue Cart Program & Recycling Drop-off Centers and should be donated if reusable:

  • Clothes and linens
  • Plastic or metal hangers
  • #6 Plastics (polystyrene or Styrofoam)
  • Diapers or feminine products
  • Construction debris (bricks, wood, cement, etc.)
  • Paint or spray paint
  • Unnumbered plastics (toothbrushes, toys, hoses, cereal box liners, etc.)
  • Loose plastic shopping bags (bring those back to retailers for recycling)
  • Hard, reusable plastic bottles (like Nalgene or baby bottles)

 

To find an outlet for materials not accepted in the Blue Cart program, visit www.earth911.com to use their recycling finder.

Supporting Information Facts