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Guide to Recyclables
Accepted
- Plastic bottles and jugs (all containers numbered 1-7). Caps left on are acceptable.
- Aluminum cans
- Cardboard (flatten boxes and remove all non-paper packaging such as Styrofoam; no pizza boxes with heavy grease or cheese residue)
- Mixed paper (magazines, bulk mail, phone books, newspapers, etc.)
- Paperboard
- Steel cans
- Books
- Vehicle tires (two per person; no rims or debris; no heavy equipment tires)
- Milk cartons, drink cartons and juice cartons
Note: Scrap metals, appliances and tires are accepted for recycling at the curb, but should be placed outside of your blue container.
Unaccepted
- Glass jars and bottles; window glass; drinking glasses; mirrors; ceramic items
- Computer equipment and TVs*
- Crayons
- Eyeglasses
- Hazardous materials including fluorescent light bulbs, ballasts, used oils and chemicals (take to Greenville County drop-off center or Twin Chimneys Landfill)
- Heavily waxed items such as laminated sheets, ice cream cartons, etc.
- Paint (put dried paint in garbage container or take to Greenville County drop-off center)
- Plastic bags, trays, Styrofoam, diapers, etc.
- VHS and Beta tapes
- Compact discs (CDs) and CD cases
- Building materials, household furniture or appliances
- Batteries
- Any items with heavy food residue, as they can contaminate other clean and acceptable items in the recycling stream
*It is against state law to dispose of computers, computer monitors, televisions and printers (as well as parts of any of these items) in a recycling bin or trash container. The City holds two electronics recycling events a year. You can also call local companies such as Best Buy; EPSI (864-847-7700) and Clean Lites (864-503-9900) or visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website for recycling options.
PLASTIC BAGS SUCH AS GROCERY BAGS, BREAD BAGS, DRY CLEANING BAGS AND NEWSPAPER BAGS CANNOT GO IN YOUR RECYCLING CART.
Please return them to participating grocery and retail stores or check out the tips below for ways to reuse them:
- Use them as stuffing for pillows or packing material for mailing
- Use them at the bottom of potted plants to reduce the amount of soil you need and make the pots easier to lift.
- Place a bag over the mouth of a paint can before putting on the lid to keep flakes of dried paint out of the can.
- Place unripe peaches, plums or green tomatoes in a bag to trap ethylene, the natural gas released by ripening fruit, and help them ripen faster.
- Wrap them around your knees when working in the garden to keep them dry and clean.
- Put shoes in them when packing your suitcase to keep from soiling your clothes.
- Wrap wet paintbrushes and rollers in bags to keep them from drying out.
- Cover small outdoor plants with bags and tie the handles tightly to keep frost off them at night.
- Protect drinking glasses and other fragile items with them when moving.
- Cover your car's side mirrors and windshield wipers with them at night in winter to prevent ice buildup.
- Use them to make "plarn" (plastic yarn) for crocheting projects.
Recyclable Items Collected Curbside
Type of Item |
Examples & Directions |
---|---|
Mixed Paper |
Magazines, bulk mail, phone books, newspapers, chipboard (cereal boxes, cracker boxes), etc. |
Cardboard | Flatten boxes and remove all non-paper packaging such as Styrofoam. No pizza boxes with heavy grease or cheese residue accepted. |
Paperboard | No heavy wax covered paper accepted. |
Aluminum |
Cans |
Steel | Steel cans and scrap metal are accepted. Place scrap metal outside of your recycling bin for pickup. |
Plastic | Containers numbered 1-7 (bottles and jugs or anything with a neck). Caps left on are acceptable. |
CONTACTS
Physical Address
475 Fairforest Way
Greenville, SC 29607
Phone: 864-232-CARE (2273)
Exception Service
Request Form (PDF)
RECYCLING DROP-OFF SITES
Open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily
- Stone Avenue Recycling Center
800 E Stone Avenue
Greenville, SC 29601 - Greenville Recycling
514 Rutherford Road
Greenville, SC 29609
Services Outside the City
-
Our services are for City of Greenville Solid Waste Customers only. For those located outside of our service area, please contact your waste hauler to inquire as to their services. Other possible service providers are as follows:
- City of Fountain Inn
864-409-3334 - City of Greer
864-848-2184 - City of Mauldin
864-289-8904 - City of Simpsonville
864-967-9531 - City of Travelers Rest
864-834-9020 - Greater Greenville Sanitation Service District Area
- Greenville County Solid Waste Division
- Guide to County Recycling Programs
- City of Fountain Inn