Storage.com
Clear the clutter. Keep what matters.
Compare U.S. storage units for the furniture and seasonal gear you want to keep after a cleanout.
Compare nearby storage unitsHome recycling guide
A practical home sorting guide for food scraps, paper, containers, batteries, and the items that need a separate drop-off. Your city or hauler's current accepted-items list decides what belongs in the curbside bin.
What do U.S. waste figures tell you?
EPA's national municipal-solid-waste estimates group material generated across the country; they are not a description of one household's bag or a curbside acceptance list. The latest full material-by-material recycling rates shown here are from EPA's 2018 data. See EPA's data and definitions.
How do you recycle in the kitchen?
Run a one-week waste audit
Use clear bags for seven days. Weigh or note food scraps, packaging, containers, paper, and true trash each day. Peak days (after grocery trips, leftovers on Sunday) show where a second bin would get used.
- Keep bags clear so you can see what went in.
- Weigh each category daily, or tally bags if you have no scale.
- Note when the kitchen produces the most waste.
- Empty containers promptly; rinse only if food residue remains or the local program requires it.
Cut food spoilage before you compost
Plan meals from what is already in the fridge, use older items first, and store leftovers in closed containers. Label leftovers with the date and move them to a visible shelf if they are easy to forget. Shop perishables in amounts you can use, then check the fridge before the next grocery trip.
Scraps that still happen can go into broth, breadcrumbs from stale bread, or a compost stream. That is leftover use, not a second income line.
What should you do with food scraps?
A home compost pile needs air, moisture, and a balance of moist “greens” with dry “browns.” The EPA composting overview says home systems mostly handle food scraps other than meat, bones, and dairy; a municipal organics program may accept a broader list.
Backyard composting
- Needs outdoor space and turning.
- Start with fruit and vegetable scraps, leaves, and yard trimmings; check a reliable composting guide before adding meat, dairy, fats, or cooked food.
- Finished compost takes time; cold weather slows the process.
- Balance moist food scraps with dry leaves or other browns and keep the pile covered to reduce odors and pests.
- Carved pumpkins can go in the pile once candles and decorations are off. Our pumpkin disposal guide covers curbside rules and seasonal drop-offs.
Bokashi fermentation
- Ferments scraps in a sealed bucket; check the kit instructions for which scraps it accepts.
- Drain liquid as directed and keep the lid sealed to manage odor.
- The fermented material still needs a second step, such as burial or further composting.
- It is not finished compost when it leaves the bucket.
Electric composters
- Can reduce scraps indoors where a municipal organics cart or nearby drop-off is not practical.
- Machines differ: confirm which inputs are allowed and whether the output is finished compost or dried, ground food material.
- Account for electricity, filters, capacity, maintenance, and a destination for the output.
Food-scrap requirements are jurisdiction-specific. California's CalRecycle page explains SB 1383 commercial organic-waste rules and who is covered; restaurants should check their local jurisdiction's current requirements and approved service options. See CalRecycle's SB 1383 overview.
How do you set up recycling bins by room?
Place containers where each stream is generated, then match them to your local collection list. The U.S. EPA notes that resin codes identify the plastic but do not promise local collection; its general guidance sends plastic bags and film to store drop-off rather than the household bin. Read EPA's plastic guidance.
Organics
Food scraps and yard trimmings only if the organics service accepts them. Compostable packaging needs explicit approval.
Containers
Empty cans, bottles, jars, and plastics your hauler lists by item or format. Do not use the resin number alone as an acceptance rule.
Paper and cardboard
Dry paper and cardboard accepted locally. Pizza boxes are a special case: follow the current municipal rule rather than assuming every greasy box must be discarded.
E-waste and household hazardous waste
Batteries, electronics, chemicals, and special bulbs need the collection route listed by your local program; keep batteries and electronics out of household recycling carts.
Trash
Contaminated items, composite packaging, and anything the local program rejects.
Kitchen
Three containers within a step of the prep counter: organics, recycling, and trash. Post the accepted-items list above them. Empty containers promptly; rinse only as much as your program requires.
Bathroom
A small bin for the empty containers your program accepts. Cotton swabs, floss, wipes, and medicines stay out. Use an official medicine take-back route for leftover drugs.
Office
Keep accepted paper dry and loose. Do not mix it with plastic film unless your local program explicitly instructs that. Batteries, cables, and phones need the collection route specified locally.
Garage and basement
Hold paint, oil, batteries, and other special waste for a local hazardous-waste or take-back event. Call a scrap yard before bringing metal, and keep treated lumber out of clean wood recovery. Usable tools, furniture, and clothes are worth donating before anything gets recycled; see what common donations are worth and estimate the total with the charitable donation calculator. Some states add a fee to new paint and mattresses to pay for recycling; see the paint and mattress fee table, and for deposit states the bottle deposit guide.
What should you leave out of curbside recycling?
A material can be rejected because it is unaccepted, unsafe, or too contaminated to process. Rules differ by program; for example, EPA says pizza boxes can be recycled with grease once food scraps are removed, while Ontario's 2026 list includes pizza boxes and gives flattening directions. EPA's paper guidance and Circular Materials' Ontario list show why a local check matters.
Pizza boxes and soiled paper
- Remove leftover food; follow your provider's current pizza-box instruction.
- Some programs accept greasy cardboard; others give a different local preparation rule.
- Do not discard a whole box based on a blanket grease rule that your provider does not use.
How clean do containers need to be?
- Empty and scrape out food. EPA says “spatula-clean” is enough; a long scrub is unnecessary.
- Follow the local cap and lid rule. EPA says plastic bottle caps typically stay on; its glass guidance calls for metal caps to be separated.
- Leave labels on unless your program or a buyer specifically asks you to remove them.
- Rinse containers only as needed to remove food residue and follow the local preparation list.
Batteries and household hazardous waste need a separate plan
Lithium-ion batteries and devices that contain them do not belong in household trash or curbside recycling. For an intact household battery, cover the terminals with non-metallic tape or place it in its own plastic bag, then confirm a battery collection site or household hazardous-waste program accepts that battery type.
A swollen, leaking, hot, or damaged battery needs local instructions before transport. Keep it away from flammable materials and contact the local household hazardous-waste program, fire department, retailer, or manufacturer. Read the EPA's used household battery guidance for the current federal recommendations.
Which plastics belong in the recycling bin?
The resin code identifies the plastic, not whether a local cart accepts it. Rules can differ even between nearby cities: NYC accepts most rigid plastics regardless of resin number, but excludes soft plastics and foam; Ontario's 2026 list includes specified flexible packaging and foam. Use these linked examples to see why the list for your own address controls: NYC DSNY and Circular Materials Ontario. EPA's general U.S. guidance is a starting point, not a substitute for the local list.
Often accepted as containers
- #1 PET: bottles and some tubs, where listed
- #2 HDPE: milk jugs and detergent bottles, where listed
- #5 PP: tubs and cups only if your program lists them
Check locally
- #3 PVC: check the item list; codes are not acceptance rules
- #4 LDPE: flexible items use a separate route in many U.S. programs
- #6 PS: foam depends on the local program
- #7 Other: check by item and format
Keep out of the cart
- Plastic bags: keep out unless your local list accepts them
- Mixed materials: check pouches and lined cups by item
- Black plastic: acceptance differs by local program
- Compostable plastic: keep out of plastic recycling unless explicitly accepted
Where can you take household scrap metal?
RecycleFind publishes scrap metal prices and lists yards by city. RecycleFind does not charge users to search the directory. Keep copper, aluminum, and brass separate. Use a magnet: brass and copper are non-magnetic. Pull steel screws off aluminum when it is quick to do so.
- Bare copper wire and pipe stay in their own container.
- Aluminum cans, siding, and window frames stay together once steel is off.
- Electronics go to an e-waste program, not the steel pile.
Check the current scrap price guide before a drop-off. Grades and payouts are set by the yard, not by this page.
Sponsored · Storage.com
Need storage while you declutter?
When home recycling turns into a clear-out, compare self-storage units nearby for what you’re not ready to toss.
Find storage nearbyFrequently asked questions about home recycling
What materials make up U.S. municipal solid waste?
EPA's 2018 national estimate lists paper, food, plastics, yard trimmings, textiles, metals, wood, and glass as major material groups. Those are national waste-generation shares, not a recipe for one household's trash or a list of what a local cart accepts.
Does recycling at home lower trash bills?
There is no universal household savings figure. Check whether your hauler offers a smaller trash cart or a different service tier, then compare the actual price before estimating any savings.
What should I do with food scraps?
Start with your city's food-scrap collection rules: accepted scraps and liners vary. A basic backyard pile is usually best for fruit and vegetable scraps, leaves, and yard trimmings; meat and dairy can attract pests. Bokashi ferments scraps but needs a further composting or burial step. Countertop machines vary, so check what the output is and whether you have a place to use or dispose of it before buying one.
Where should recycling bins go in the house?
Put bins where the waste is generated. Kitchen: food scraps, containers, trash. Bathroom: empty bottles and a trash can; no cotton swabs or medicine in recycling. Office: dry paper and an e-waste box for batteries and gadgets. Garage: scrap metal, cardboard, and household hazardous waste held for a collection event.
What items are commonly recycled incorrectly?
Food left in containers, items the local program does not accept, plastic film in a program that excludes it, batteries, and electronics are frequent mistakes. Pizza-box rules differ: EPA says an empty box can be recycled even with grease, while your local provider may give more specific preparation instructions. Check the local list before sorting.
How should you handle a swollen or damaged lithium-ion battery?
Keep a swollen, leaking, hot, or visibly damaged battery out of trash, curbside recycling, and ordinary battery collection boxes. Keep it away from flammable materials and contact your local household hazardous-waste program, fire department, retailer, or manufacturer for handling and transport instructions. Call 911 if it is smoking or burning.
Can a vape pen go in the recycling bin?
No. Vape pens and e-cigarettes contain nicotine and lithium batteries. Take them to a household hazardous-waste program or another site that explicitly accepts e-cigarettes, and do not remove an embedded battery unless the program directs you to.
Find a drop-off
RecycleFind lists scrap yards and recycling centers. Start with the kitchen bins, then use the directory for metal, e-waste, and items the curbside cart rejects.