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Keeping contamination out of your recycling cart is one of the best things you can do for Eugene's environment — and for your wallet.

Here are the biggest things to keep in mind:

• Rinse everything. All recyclables need to be clean and dry before they go in the bin.
• No food scraps. Food waste and yard debris belong in your compost cart, not the green recycling cart.
• No plastic bags. They gum up the works at the recycling facility — toss clean recyclables loose into the cart.
• No styrofoam. Block styrofoam and packing peanuts can't be recycled curbside.
• No broken glass or mirrors. These belong in your trash cart, wrapped securely.
• No electronics, batteries, or hazardous materials. These all require special handling — check our recycling guide or call Lane County Waste Management at 541-682-4120 for options.

When in doubt, check out our full Recycling Guide for a complete list of what goes where. Recycling right is a win for Eugene's ecosystem — and you're a big part of making it happen.

Getting started with Apex is simple and fast. Just fill out our online sign-up form or give us a call at (541) 607-2042, and after we confirm your address, you'll receive a confirmation email with your next steps. We'll work to get your service started right when you need it — so there's no overlap with a previous hauler and no week left without a pickup. From the time you sign up, your Apex truck will be rolling to your curb before you know it. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Your yard debris and food waste cart is a composting powerhouse — but it does have limits. Keep these items out to avoid contamination:

• Pet waste — doggy droppings and kitty litter belong in the trash
• Plastic of any kind, including plastic bags
• Lumber and wood products
• Dirt, rocks, and sod
• Liquids of any kind — keep your cart dry
• Rubber objects and paper products
• "Compostable" serviceware — despite the label, these items can't be processed in our composting stream
• Oversized yard debris — logs, stumps, root wads, and branches over three feet long or four inches in diameter can't go in the cart (give us a call for options)
• Poisonous vegetation

The good news? Just about everything else — all food scraps, lawn clippings, leaves, branches (under 3 feet long and 4 inches in diameter), and yard trimmings — is fair game. If you can eat it, we can compost it! For the full breakdown, check out our Yard Debris & Food Waste Guide.

Apex's temporary cleanup containers are perfect for garage cleanouts, small remodels, seasonal projects, and yard cleanups — but there are a few important rules to keep in mind.

Keep loads separate. Cleanup containers can be used for trash, wood/lumber, or yard debris — but don't mix them. The moment trash is mixed in with wood or yard debris, everything in the container is treated as trash and sent to the landfill. So if you're doing a yard cleanup, keep it yard debris only. Same goes for wood. Keeping loads clean means more of your material can be diverted from the landfill — and that's a win for Eugene.

Keep these out entirely:

• Hazardous household waste, including gasoline, oil/gas mixtures, liquid paint, petroleum products, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, and thinners. For safe disposal, call Lane County Waste Management at 541-682-4120.
• Refrigerators, air conditioners, and appliances containing freon. These require a special bulky item pickup so the freon is handled safely — just send us a message and we'll sort it out.

Not sure how to sort your project's debris? Give us a call — we'll help you figure out the best plan so as much as possible stays out of the landfill.

Great news for recyclers in Eugene and Lane County! Thanks to Oregon's Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (RMA), which went into effect July 1, 2025, more plastics are now accepted curbside than ever before.

Apex currently accepts the following plastics in your recycling cart:

• Plastic bottles, jugs, jars, and round tubs made from #1, #2, or #5 plastic — items must be larger than 2""x2"", tubs must be round, and lids can stay on if screwed on tight (no snap-ons). Rinse them out first!
• Medicine and supplement bottles made from #1, #2, or #5 plastic
• Plastic buckets, pails, and storage containers made of HDPE (#2) or polypropylene (#5) — as long as they fit loosely in your bin
• Nursery pots and plant trays made of HDPE (#2) or PP (#5) — clean and dirt-free

If it's not a #1, #2, or #5 plastic bottle, jug, jar, or round tub — leave it out. Empty pill bottles must go in the regular trash. And as always, everything must be rinsed clean. For the full picture on what's recyclable in Eugene, visit our Recycling Guide.

Starting new service with Apex is a breeze, and we'll help make the switch as smooth as possible — no overlap, no missed pickups. Just fill out our Start Service form or give us a call at (541) 607-2042, and we'll work with you to time your Apex service start so it picks up right where your old service leaves off. We recommend contacting your current provider directly to cancel — we want everything to go smoothly for you. Have questions about timing? Our team is happy to help you figure out the best game plan. That's what neighbors do.

Signing up for trash and recycling service with Apex is easy - and as Eugene's 100% local, independent hauler, we're ready to roll for you! Here's how to get started:

1. Sign up online. Fill out the short form, and after we confirm your address, you'll receive a confirmation email with your next steps.
2. Or give us a call at (541) 607-2042 — our friendly team will walk you through everything and answer any questions you have.

Once you're set up, you'll get curbside trash pickup (weekly or bi-weekly), recycling included at no extra cost, and — if you're within Eugene city limits — free yard debris and food waste pickup. We'll make sure you know your pickup schedule, which cart sizes are right for you, and exactly what goes where. You're not just a customer — you're a neighbor. And we can't wait to serve you.