How do I properly dispose of and/or recycle items that are not accepted into the commingled recycling bins?

Many items that may not be recyclable but that can be reused are often suitable for donation to community partners, such as used building materials, household goods, office supplies, clothing, furniture and more.


Household Hazardous Waste is accepted free of charge at the Hazardous Waste Collection Center at the Glenwood Transfer Station. Call 541-682-4120 to schedule an appointment or visit www.lanecounty.org/hazwaste for more information.

Items that are not reusable can be accepted at Lane County Waste Management’s transfer station or processed by other facilities. Learn more about how to correctly dispose of hard-to-recycle items.


Community Resources to Aid in Recycling

There are various community resources available to aid in recycling specific items. For example, you can search this site to find a local grocery store that accepts plastic bags for recycling, and Styrofoam blocks and packing peanuts may be recycled through a program at St. Vincent de Paul. For other items, Lane County has developed the Waste Wise, a comprehensive tool designed to answer specific questions related to whether an item is recyclable. You may also contact your hauler to find out if a particular material is recyclable or not.


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.

Show All Answers

1. How do I order residential garbage and recycling service?
2. Why should I recycle?
3. Is food waste collection available in the City of Eugene?
4. What items are accepted into commingled curbside recycling collection?
5. How do I properly dispose of and/or recycle items that are not accepted into the commingled recycling bins?
6. Where can I find out more about garbage hauling rates in Eugene?
7. What are the main changes to curbside commingle recycling in Eugene?
8. Why are certain items, such as margarine tubs or milk cartons, no longer accepted in commingled recycling?
9. Which plastics can I recycle now?
10. What type of plastic jugs are recyclable in Eugene?
11. Can plastic bottles go in the commingle recycling bin?
12. Why does the City recommend, "When in doubt, find out or throw it out?"
13. Should I stockpile certain plastic items until I am able to recycle them again?
14. What are some other options if I can’t recycle the plastics I have?
15. What does “contamination” mean in recycling?
16. Why isn’t the cost of waste hauling service going down?
17. Why is there a cost to recycling service if haulers sell the materials collected?
18. I’ve heard that recycling is getting sent to landfills. Is this true?
19. What happens to stuff in recycling bins that isn't recyclable?
20. Why aren’t there more options to recycle this stuff locally or at least domestically?