Ontario County residents have been separating recyclables from waste for 25-plus years. Every county resident should have a clear, simple way to recycle, whether you set out a bin at the curb or drop off recyclables at your local transfer station.
If you live in an apartment where you toss your trash in a dumpster, there should be a separate container available for recycling.
Check out more information about single-stream recycling below the accepted and not accepted materials.
Recycling Tips
Always reduce and reuse before recycling.
Materials should be clean and dry.
No bagged recycling. Materials should be loose.
Leave lids and caps on.
Nothing smaller than 2" x 2".
Just because it has a recycling symbol does not mean it can be recycled.
Rules change, check back for up to date information.
These clean & empty materials oughta be recycled.
Corrugated Cardboard
(Pizza boxes, shipping boxes, diaper boxes)
Boxboard Cardboard
(Paper towel and toilet paper rolls, tissue boxes, cereal boxes)
Plastic Containers
(Bottles, jugs, tubs, lids, clear cups & produce containers)
Some items may have special collection programs- see options to the right.
Tanglers
(ropes, hoses, cords)
Scrap Metal
(pots, pans, car and appliance parts)
Paper Products
(wax-coated cups and containers, towels, tissues)
Glass
(light bulbs, beverage glass, windows)
Plastic Film
(plastic wrapping, air pillows, bubble wrap, zip-top bags)
E-Waste
(batteries, computers, other electronics)
Biodegradable/ Plant-based Plastics
(wrappers, utensils, plates, cups)
Small Items
(utensils, straws, coffee pods)
What is Single Stream Recycling?
Even if you already sort of know how Single Stream Recycling works, here are the details.
Ontario County offers Single-Stream recycling, sometimes called Zero-Sort recycling. That means all the acceptable bin-friendly materials listed here can go in the same recycle bin. See where they go from there in the short video below from Casella Waste Systems.