EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: IMPORTANT CHANGES TO EUGENE AREA RECYCLING
International market fluctuations are driving changes in the way recycling is processed in our area. Effective April 9, 2018, the waste haulers that serve customers within the City of Eugene will begin only accepting a redefined list of items for recycling. FAQs and more information are available by clicking HERE.
Contamination reduces the economy and effectiveness of our recycling system. Plastic bags, take-out food containers, plant pots, and lids of any kind should never be placed in commingled recycling bins. Any items that are not clearly recyclable should be put in the trash—when in doubt, throw it out. A PDF of this updated recycling document is available HERE. Traducción al español aquí.
Please continue to place the following items in commingled recycling bins:
- Newspaper, ads and inserts, direct mail, magazines, and catalogues
- Flattened cardboard boxes
- Cereal, cracker, and shoe boxes (chipboard)
- Office paper
- Paperboard/cardboard egg cartons
- Steel and aluminum cans
- Certain plastic bottles and jugs will still be accepted: transparent soda bottles, water bottles, milk jugs, and juice bottles.
Items that will no longer be accepted in our recycling stream:
- Plastic tubs
- Any plastic item that isn’t a transparent bottle or milk jug
- Aseptic containers (such as milk cartons or shelf stable soy milk containers)
- Shredded paper
If you are unsure whether or not an item is recyclable, you can find out by asking the Garbage Guru. Lane County’s tool, the Garbage Guru allows you to enter an item into the database and it will tell you how to recycle it or dispose of it. Ask the Garbage Guru!
