What to Recycle in Baltimore
Place all recycling materials (Plastic and glass bottles and jars, paper and cans) in recycle bins, cardboard boxes, paper bags or a clearly marked container and they will be collected citywide on your regularly scheduled recycling day.
Set out recycling items at the same location as your regular trash pick-up by 6 a.m. for collection.
If your collection day falls on a holiday, please hold your recycling items until the make up collection day which will be the following Saturday.
For additional information, please dial 311.
Acceptable Recycling Material:
- Aerosol Cans (empty)
- Aluminum: cans, beverage and food containers, foil (clean), and pie pans
- Books: hardbound, paperback and text books
- Bottles: narrow-neck bottles used for food liquids, soap, soda or water - (lightly clean if heavily soiled)
- Cardboard and paperboard boxes corrugated boxes, egg containers, food boxes (including cereal boxes), frozen food packaging, mailing boxes and show boxes
Please remove plastic or Styrofoam packaging material from inside
- Cartons (waxed): used for a liquid such as juices, milk or soups
- Glass containers such as bottles and jars (brown, clear or green - please rinse)
- Juice Boxes (clean)
- Mail: envelopes with plastic windows
- Metal: beverage and food containers
- Paper (all colors and types): catalogs, folders, junk mail, magazines, mixed paper, newsprint (all types), non-metallic wrapping paper, office papers, printer paper, school papers and shredded paper
- Plastic: bottles and jars with symbols #1 through #7 (narrow neck and screw top – lightly clean if heavily soiled) -e.g., detergent/bleach bottles, juice bottles, milk jugs, soda bottles, water bottles. Containers with symbols #1 through #7 (wide-mouthed – lightly clean if heavily soiled) -e.g., cottage cheese, margarine, mayonnaise, sour cream and yogurt (caps and labels o.k.). Drinking cups and prescription bottles, including lids and caps.
- Steel: beverage containers and food
- Tin: cans and foil
Rigid Plastics
(to be taken to the citizen drop-off center 1 – 5 only and placed in container marked "rigid plastics):
Rigid plastics which include milk/soda crates, buckets, laundry baskets, lawn furniture, totes, plastic drums, coolers, flower pots, water bottles, pallets, pet carriers, shelving, closet organizers, empty garbage/recycling bins.
*Please note that many grocery stores will recycle your plastic bags.
Unacceptable Recycling Material Examples:
- Carry out or deli food containers
- Cat litter
- Chemicals
- Cookware and plates (plastic)
- Containers of toxic substances -e.g., bottles, cans motor oil, pesticides, etc.
- Contaminated paper products -e.g., napkins, paper towels, waxed paper, paper plates and tissue
- Contaminated plastic products -e.g., plates, utensils, cookware, to-go cartons
- Dry cleaning bags
- Food Waste
- Furniture of any kind
- Glass (window and mirror)
- Paint and paint cans
- Plastic bags including grocery and newspaper covers
- Utensils (plastic)
- Waxed paper
- Styrofoam