What To Recycle

Blue Bin
Orange Bin
You can recycle all these items in the blue bin
You can recycle all these items in the blue bin
  • Plastic bottles & jars (including yogurt cups and margarine tubs)
  • Metal cans, including aerosol cans (empty first please!)
  • Glass bottles & jars
Blue Bin  
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True
Blue Bin - Plastic
Blue Bin - Plastic

​Any plastic containers are recyclable in Alachua County, as long as the containers have a pourable spout or neck up to 4 gallons in size. Yogurt cups and margarine tubs are now recyclable too. Please rinse, remove all caps and lids, and step on plastic to save space! Empty household bleach bottles are acceptable.

Things we cannot accept at this time:

  • No plastic bags
  • No lids of any kind
  • No food trays (ie. frozen food or the like)
  • No black plastic of any kind
  • No clamshell containers (blueberry containers) or supermarket to-go containers.
  • No plastic cups (Solo cups) or take out cups (coffee or soda cups)
  • No take out containers of any kind.
  • No compostable, biodegradable or degradable containers also commonly listed as "bio-plastics"
  • No petroleum product, pool chemical and pesticide containers
  • No polystyrene foam also know as Styrofoam
  • No egg cartons

Accepted plastic Bottles that have pour spouts with out lids.Yogurt and butter tubs that are accepted in the recycling program.



 

True
Blue Bin - Metal
Blue Bin - Metal

​Please rinse all metal food and drink containers thoroughly. Empty aerosol cans and remove plastic lids. For containers with a lid, please keep lid attached or place lid in the bottom of the can and squeeze the top together to keep the lid secure.

Things we cannot accept at this time:

  • ​No aluminum foil of any kind
  • No aluminum pie tins
  • No aluminum trays


​

Beverage, soup, aerosol, and food cans.







False
Blue Bin - Glass
Blue Bin - Glass

​Recycle all clear, green and brown glass bottles and jars. Rinse and remove lids, labels are ok. Please no window panes, glasses, Pyrex or other dishes.

Glass bottles and jars that are acceptable for recycling.



False
Did You Know?
Did You Know?

Each recycled aluminum can saves enough energy to power a television for a full three hours!

Recycled plastic bottles and jars can be made into durable clothing! Recycle your water bottle today and wear it tomorrow!​

False
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You can recycle all these Items in the orange bin:
You can recycle all these Items in the orange bin:
  • Brown paper bags & newspapers
  • Magazines, catalogs & telephone books
  • Corrugated cardboard and pasteboard
  • Office paper & junk mail
  • Paperback books, workbooks and soft-back textbooks.
  • Shredded paper contained inside a paper bag
Orange ecycling bin filled with paper products for recycling 
True
Orange Bin - Brown Paper Bags & Newspapers
Orange Bin - Brown Paper Bags & Newspapers

Recycle clean, dry newspapers and inserts. Wet newspapers cannot be accepted. If it is going to rain, please either cover the newspapers or save them for next week. Brown shopping bags are accepted in the orange bin, but not plastic bags. Take plastic bags to grocery stores for recycling.

Newsprint, paper bag Phonebooks and paperback book for recycling.

False
Orange Bin - Magazines, Catalogs & Telephone Books
Orange Bin - Magazines, Catalogs & Telephone Books

​All magazines, catalogs, and telephone books are recyclable.

Newsprint, paper bag Phonebooks and paperback book for recycling.

False
Orange Bin - Cardboard
Orange Bin - Cardboard

​Clean corrugated cardboard (the kind with a wavy layer in the middle) can be recycled when broken down.

Empty all packing materials and FLATTEN boxes. It is not necessary to cut boxes apart.

Cardboard boxes should be no larger than 3' x 3'. ​​

Pasteboard boxes, such as cereal or shoe boxes can also be flattened and placed in the orange bin for recycling. 

Corrugated Cardboard for recycling.

Pasteboard (Ceareal boxes) and cardboard box

False
Orange Bin - Office Paper & Junk Mail
Orange Bin - Office Paper & Junk Mail

​Office paper and junk mail is recyclable. Please no plastic credit cards or shredded paper. Window envelopes are recyclable. Place the blue bin on top of the orange bin to keep paper from littering the street.​


Office paper and junk mail for recycling.





False
Orange Bin - Paperback Books
Orange Bin - Paperback Books

​Paperback school workbooks, textbooks and coupon books can now be recycled in your orange bin. Paperback novels that are still in good condition should be donated if possible, but damaged or unreadable paperbacks can be recycled.

Newsprint, paper bag Phonebooks and paperback book for recycling.

False
Orange Bin - Shredded Paper
Orange Bin - Shredded Paper

​Shredded paper can be recycled in the orange bin as long as it is contained inside a rolled down paper bag.  Please do not put loose shredded paper in the orange bin.

Shredded paper


False

Contact

​
  • Office of Waste Alternatives
  • 5620 NW 120th Lane
  • Gainesville, FL 32653
  • Phone: 352-374-5213
  • TDD/TTY users, please call 711 (Florida Relay Service)

  • Office Hours
    Monday - Thursday
    7:00am-5:00pm

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