Colorado recycling directory
Recycling centers in Denver, Colorado
11 facilities with contact info, hours, pricing, and accepted materials. Compare them and find the closest drop-off.
Available Recycling Centers
CF&I Recycling Denver
5601 York St
CF&I Recycling Denver is a full-service scrap metal yard formerly known as EVRAZ Recycling, serving residential and commercial customers across the Denver metro. The yard accepts ferrous and non-ferrous metals with public drop-off, roll-off bins, and on-the-spot payment.
Services: Public metal drop-off · Roll-off bin service · Industrial scrap pickup · On-the-spot payment · Certified scale weights
Accepts: Ferrous metals, Non-ferrous metals, Scrap steel, Copper, Aluminum, Brass, Appliances, Industrial scrap
What are CF&I Recycling Denver hours?
Monday through Friday 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Saturday 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, closed Sunday.
Does CF&I Recycling Denver accept public drop-offs?
Yes. The York Street yard offers walk-in drop-off for individuals as well as roll-off service for businesses and job sites.
City & County of Denver Recycle Dropoff
7400 Cherry Creek S Dr Denver CO 80231 USA
The Cherry Creek Recycling and Compost Drop-off is a free drop-off site run by the City and County of Denver at 7400 Cherry Creek S Dr, near the intersection of S. Quebec St. and E. Cherry Creek South Drive. Denver residents can bring household recycling, compost, yard debris, and branches here to keep them out of the landfill. Use is limited to Denver residents with proof of residency, two visits per day, and common residential vehicles only. The site accepts all materials taken in Denver Solid Waste's recycling and compost service but does not take paint, hazardous material, dirt, sod, or commercial and landscaping materials.
Services: Free recycling drop-off · Compost drop-off · Yard debris drop-off
Accepts: Household recycling (cans, bottles, jars, boxes), Compost food scraps, Yard debris, Branches (no more than 4 ft long and 4 in diameter)
Who can use the Cherry Creek Recycling and Compost Drop-off?
Denver residents only. Proof of residency is required, and residents are allowed 2 visits per day.
What does it cost to drop off materials?
It is free for Denver residents to drop off recycling and compost here.
Iron & Metals Inc
5555 Franklin St
Iron & Metals Inc is a family-owned Denver scrap metal recycling center operating since 1961. The Franklin Street yard pays competitive prices for ferrous and non-ferrous metals with drive-on scale service, plus roll-off containers from 1 to 60 cubic yards for industrial customers.
Services: Public scrap metal drop-off · Drive-on scale service · Roll-off container service · Industrial scrap hauling · Container hauling
Accepts: Steel, Cast iron, Aluminum, Copper, Insulated wire, Brass, Stainless steel, Titanium
What are Iron & Metals receiving hours in Denver?
The yard accepts drop-offs Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The office is open until 4:30 PM on weekdays.
Does Iron & Metals offer scrap metal containers?
Yes. IMI provides roll-off containers from 1 to 60 cubic yards plus trailer options for commercial and industrial scrap collection.
Materials Accepted in Denver
Based on the listings above, materials commonly handled in Denver include Copper, Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Scrap Metal. Browse the guides below for preparation tips, scrap values, and what's recyclable.
Recycling in Denver, Colorado
Denver runs its trash, recycling, and compost service through Denver Solid Waste Management, and the whole system is volume based: your trash bill depends on the size of the cart you choose (35, 65, or 95 gallon), while the purple recycling cart and the green compost cart both ride along at no additional cost. Recycling picks up every other week, trash and compost are collected weekly, and large item pickup runs on its own nine week cycle. Colorado has no bottle deposit law, so cans and bottles go straight into the purple cart rather than to a redemption center.
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes in Denver's purple recycling cart?
The purple cart takes plastic containers like bottles, jugs, tubs, and jars, metal cans and empty aerosol cans, cardboard and paperboard (flattened), paper, and glass beverage bottles and jars. It does not take plastic bags or film, foam, window or automotive glass, mirrors, ceramics, wine glasses, or light bulbs. Denver's #1 contamination problem is plastic bags, so loose recyclables should never be bagged before they go in the cart.
Does Denver recycling take glass?
Yes. Denver accepts glass beverage bottles and jars directly in the purple recycling cart, no separate bin needed. It draws the line at other glass types though: window glass, automotive glass, mirrors, drinking glasses, wine glasses, and heat resistant kitchen glass like bakeware are not accepted and belong in the trash.
How does Denver's trash pricing work, and is compost included?
Denver bills residential trash by cart size rather than a flat rate: a 35 gallon cart costs less than a 65 or 95 gallon cart, so smaller households or better recyclers pay less. Every address can request a green compost cart, which is collected weekly at no extra charge, along with the every-other-week purple recycling pickup. The city estimates about half of what typically goes in the trash could actually be composted.
How does Denver handle household hazardous waste and electronics?
Hazardous items like paint, batteries, and chemicals should never go in the trash, storm drains, or the alley. Denver runs a Household Hazardous Waste At-Your-Door collection program plus free paint recycling and battery disposal drop-offs. Electronics can't legally go in Colorado trash at all under the state's e-waste ban, so Denver residents get one free E-cycle coupon per household per year for discounted drop-off recycling of TVs, computers, and other electronics through its partner, Blue Star Recyclers.
How do I get rid of large items or extra trash in Denver?
Large Item Pickup happens on your regular collection day once every nine weeks, and covers up to 5 bulky items (furniture, rugs, exercise equipment) plus up to 10 bags of extra trash. It does not cover electronics, appliances, construction debris, or hazardous materials, which have their own separate programs. If you regularly generate more trash than your cart can hold, you can request a bigger cart size through your Denver Utilities Online account instead of waiting for the large item cycle.
Denver Recycling Tips
- •Never bag your recycling before putting it in the purple cart. Bagged recyclables get treated as trash contamination, Denver's most common recycling mistake citywide.
- •If an item is smaller than the palm of your hand, it's too small for the purple cart. Loose caps, bottle caps, and small plastic bits should go in the trash instead.
- •Downsizing to a 35 gallon trash cart is the easiest way to lower your monthly bill, since recycling and compost pickup cost the same regardless of your trash cart size.
- •Since Colorado has no bottle deposit program, there's no redemption value for cans or bottles here. Put beverage containers straight in the purple cart rather than saving them for a deposit refund.
- •Save your one free E-cycle coupon for a big-ticket item like a TV or desktop computer, since it only resets once per household per calendar year.
Recycling Centers Near Denver
The closest recycling centers in neighboring areas:
Recycling Centers in Nearby Cities
Browse recycling centers in other Colorado cities: